Immortal of the Nine Realms

I better find a way to improve my foundation so I can reach ‘Source of Authority,’ thought Fang Chen.

At that moment, Little Sword’s thoughts surged into Fang Chen’s mind. ‘Little Chen, if you advance to the third rank Sword Body, your foundation will experience a significant boost.’

Fang Chen was surprised. ‘Really?’

‘The Sword Body is also a type of foundation, so it naturally affects immortal veins,’ answered Little Sword.

Fang Chen was enlightened. He knew that his rapid progress in cultivation was largely due to his rich and powerful divine soul, as he was well aware that his talent wasn’t particularly outstanding. As for why he had been able to accumulate such a powerful foundation—Gold of Supremacy— it was likely because of his second-rank Sword Body.

”Once I advance to the third rank Sword Body and elevate my foundation to ‘Source of Authority,’ I’ll make an attempt to break through to the Foundation Building Realm,” decided Fang Chen.

He had been able to do what other cultivators did in decades or centuries in a span of one year, so he had the luxury of time to refine his foundation as much as possible. He could also use this time to start preparing Foundation Building Pills.

***

White Harbor Port.

The business in the port had been ever so sluggish since the Huang and Liu Families went snooping about the port, with only a few captains with close ties to the Bai Family choosing to dock here; however, the atmosphere at the harbor was different from the usual today. Cultivators from the Huang and Liu families were spread around the port. They’d stop the captains docking here to ask them questions, their faces covered in suspicion.

Not far away, the Bai Family Head was leading a group of people to meet the heads of the other two families. The atmosphere was so tense, it seemed as though a fight might break out at any moment.

”Huang Lingyue,” barked the Bai Family Head angrily, “what right do you have to blockade my family’s port?”

Bai Qianqian and the others wore grim expressions.

Huang Lingyue stood with his hands collapsed behind his back. Sweeping his gaze across the port, he chuckled. ”I indeed have no right to do that, but I am merely acting on behalf of the Sea Dragon Sect to investigate the background of that sword cultivator.”

The Liu Family Head sneered. ”What’s the matter? You don’t want that? Could it be that the rumors are true and your family is involved with that sword cultivator?”

The people of the Bai Family were furious. That was clearly an attempt to shift blame onto them!

”You can eat randomly, but you can’t say whatever comes to your mind. We have no connection with any sword cultivator,” replied the Bai Family Head calmly. ”I know there’s a swordsman who took your Sapphire Lotus Seed but that’s not a reason for you to take it out on us. I am warning you; you have ten minutes to take your people and leave. You are not allowed to step foot into my territory ever again; otherwise, I’ll have to invite the ancestor out of seclusion!”

Huang Lingyue suddenly laughed, and the Liu Family Head looked very smug.

Seeing that, the Bai Family members were puzzled and suspicious. However, suddenly, they all felt two terrifying auras sweep out of their manor, followed by another aura that arose, mingling with the other two auras.

The Bai Family Head’s expression shifted erratically. ”What’s happening...?”

Huang Lingyue smiled ambiguously. ”Didn’t you want to invite your ancestor out of seclusion? You don’t have to trouble yourself anymore; our two ancestors are old acquaintances of his, they have already gone to invite him out.”

The crowd was shocked. ”What!”

”Did those two terrifying auras come from the Foundation Building ancestors of the Huang and Liu families?”

Could they possibly be here to...?

The Bai Family Head’s face darkened. ”Are you waging war on us?”

Bai Qianqian and the others sucked in a breath of cold air, their astonishment mixed with anger. Were these two here to exterminate their family?

”War?” Huang Lingyue’s smile was thin, and his eyes narrow. “No, this is merely a hunt for us.”

Suddenly, a figure swooped in from the sky. He staggered his way down for a few steps before he was barely able to steady himself. That figure looked old, with layers of wrinkles on his face. There was a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth, and he was visibly shocked and furious.

”Ancestor!”

The Bai Family Head hurried forward to support him.

Bai Qianqian and the others felt their hearts sink. Judging from the ancestor’s state, he clearly hadn’t been able to gain the upper hand and even suffered some injuries.

Two flashes of green light followed, and two new figures suddenly appeared, both old. One stood beside Huang Lingyue and the other beside the Liu Family Head.

”Ancestor,” called out the cultivators of the Huang and Liu families to each of their ancestors.

”Old Huang, Old Liu,” called the Bai Family ancestor in a deep voice, wiping the blood at the corner of his mouth. “You’re really burning down all bridges today? It’s one thing for the lower-ranking members of each of our families to fight with each other, but why must it come to this between us three?”

The Bai Family cultivators’ expressions shifted erratically, fear arising in their hearts. While their ancestor was at the early stage of Foundation Building Realm, the ancestors of the other two families were also at the same stage. A single misstep and their entire family might be exterminated!

The Huang Family ancestor smiled and said, ”Old Bai, it’s not we’re burning down all bridges, but your family has offended the Sea Dragon Sect. If we want to continue operating in this area, it is imperative that we maintain a good relationship with the Sea Dragon Sect.”

The Liu Family ancestor also had a similar smile, and he added, ”Exactly. Although it may seem like this area is under the jurisdiction of the empire, the reality is that the Sea Dragon Sect’s words are the law around here, and they must be followed. If we don’t follow these unspoken rules, we’ll be inviting a painful price onto ourselves.”

The Bai Family’s ancestor fell silent for a moment. Then, he slowly spoke up. ”Let me ask you this: if we migrate from here, will you let us be?”

The Bai Family Head was shocked. ”Ancestor?”

This was the Bai Family’s ancestral site, and it had been passed down from one generation after the other for countless years. The family was able to thrive all these years because of the sea, too.

Not to mention that all other places with a bit of spiritual land or spiritual springs had already been occupied by other clans and sects, so where would they be able to find a place to settle down? If they chose any random place, then in the long run the family would undoubtedly begin to decline and they’d stop producing cultivators, which would inevitably cut out their bloodline!

The Bai Family’s ancestor shot the family head a piercing look. ”Shut up.” He then turned back to the two ancestors.

”That might’ve been possible if the Sea Dragon Sect wasn’t involved, but they are.... If the Sea Dragon Sect catches wind of us letting you leave, we won’t be able to bear the consequences.”

The Liu Family’s ancestor sighed softly. ”You shouldn’t have told that sword cultivator about the Sapphire Lotus Seed in the first place. This... is actually your own fault.”

The people of the Bai family were furious. They were just using the Sea Dragon Sect as an excuse so they could get rid of their family!

The captains and merchants around watched with pale faces. One of the more brave captains decided to speak up then. “We were just docking here. W-we have no relation with the Bai Family. This doesn’t have anything to do with us, does it?”

Glancing at him, the Huang Family’s ancestor lightly said, ”If you start docking at my and the Liu Family’s port from here on out, then don’t worry, this has nothing to do with you.”

The captains let out breaths of relief.

The Bai Family Head’s face was dark and gloomy. ”So you really won’t be leaving us with a way out? Do you think you won’t be paying a dear price to kill me?”

”We naturally know that we’ll pay a price, but it doesn’t matter, we can afford to do so,” said an ancestor with a chuckle, and then his spiritual energy began to rise. “From this day forward, there won’t be anyone from the Bai Family left alive!”

Just as two ancestors were about to shoot forth into battle, everyone suddenly heard a shout that made them stop in their tracks. “Any captains heading to the Sea Dragon Sect?”

It was a cultivator at the 12th stage of Qi Refining. He had a group of cultivators following behind him.