Immortal of the Nine Realms

Fang Chen’s words stunned both of them.

“What do you mean? Are you suggesting you’ll let us go?” asked the middle-aged man tentatively, his voice rising.

”Immortal Sea Dragon has been severely injured. He isn’t coming back anytime soon. So yeah, you can leave,” said Fang Chen. “But if you don’t want to leave, that’s fine too.”

”What? He’s severely injured?” repeated the middle-aged man in shock. His eyes quickly turned wary. “Wait! Who exactly are you?”

If he really wasn’t one of Immortal Sea Dragon’s men, then how did he know about the Jiang Family? And why did he ask them about it the first thing he saw them?

”I’ve compromised this island, but I’ll be returning to the Flame Empire now. You can weigh your options and come to a decision while I’m away” replied Fang Chen, pivoting around to leave.

After walking a few steps away, Fang Chen came to a stop and lightly smiled. He turned his head back. “You coming or not?”

”We’re coming!” The middle-aged man immediately grabbed the little girl’s hand and sprung forward.

He’d follow Fang Chen. He wanted to know who he was, anyway. If Fang Chen was one of Immortal Sea Dragon’s men, then he’d take a look at what he was capable of.

The two followed Fang Chen away, through the fog. When they appeared on the other side, they saw the Sixth King and the others, who had been waiting outside for Fang Chen.

When everyone saw the two unfamiliar faces, they became confused.

The Sixth King was the first to open his mouth. ”Who are these, Sect Leader Fang?”

”This little girl was kidnapped by Immortal Sea Dragon to be his concubine, but she refused, so he threw her and her servant inside here, locking them up,” invented Fang Chen.

Elder Su smirked at that. “I’ve long since heard of the Sea Dragon Sect’s weird antics. Looks like it’s true.”

Puzzled, the middle-aged man and the young girl secretly seized up Jin Nan, Elder Su, and the Sixth King.

”We didn’t find a lot of things of value in his cave dwelling. I’m afraid the most valuable things on the island are the spiritual fields and springs,” said Jin Nan casually.

”I don’t want any of those things,” said Fang Chen. “I am not from around here, after all. And I won’t be staying for long. I’ll accept spiritual materials in exchange for them.”

”Can we use spirit stones?” asked the Sixth King.

Fang Chen nodded. ”I can take spirit stones.”

It was all the same; he could use spirit stones to buy spiritual materials.

The middle-aged man’s brow scrunched up. ‘So they’ve really raided the Sea Dragon Sect.’

But Immortal Sea Dragon was a powerful Golden Core Realm cultivator from the Spirit Blood Sect. How were these people able to do this?

He had been a little taken aback when he saw how Fang Chen had gone out of his way to come up with an excuse for them, but he naturally didn’t call him out on it. He wasn’t sure if any of these people in front of him were from the Spirit Blood Sect, after all.

An hour later, they all left the island on the ship, taking away the youths in green robes with them.

***

Several days later.

The Bai Family reception hall.

There were many Foundation Building Realm cultivators gathered inside the hall today. The ancestor of the Bai Family took on the role of being today’s host, personally tending to the guests alongside the Bai Family Head.

Even Bai Qianqian had sensibly transformed into a maidservant, serving tea to the guests. The other members of the Bai Family didn’t even have the qualifications to enter the hall, so they all remained stationed outside, but they were brimming with excitement nonetheless.

Their family’s name would be on everyone’s lips throughout the coastal areas from this day forward! They had heard of the many names that were here today, such as the Flame Empire’s Sixth King; Elder Jin Nan from the Heavenly Southern Sect; Elder Su from Spirit Beast Valley; and the most important of them all—the Qingzhou Sword Sect Master!

Even though the Bai Family had been around for many, many years, this was the first time where they had such a grand occasion!

Inside the hall.

“We’ve crunched the numbers, Sect Leader Fang,” said Elder Su. “Your share is thirty percent, so you’ll be receiving ten thousand low-grade spirit stones.”

Bai Qianqian was pouring Fang Chen a cup of tea when she heard that, and the pot she held almost slipped out of her hand from shock, nearly spilling the tea all over Fang Chen. Her hand tottered in the air for a moment before she calmed down her stinging nerves and steadied her hand. She filled Fang Chen’s cup before she slipped away quickly.

What a terrifying number! Ten thousand low-grade spirit stones? The Bai Family, with all its years of business experience down its belt, only had an annual income of less than a thousand spirit stones!

While a thousand spirit stones wasn’t a small number, per se, and the family was able to use this sum to nurture cultivators each year, ensuring the continuity of its legacy, there wouldn’t be many spirit stones left by the end of the year. That’s why the family members often ventured out into the world, seeking to earn spirit stones for themselves.

The cultivation world was cruel, and resources were scarce, so the fact that the Bai Family had been able to become a cultivation clan was an outstanding feat in and of itself.

Even if one considered the Flame Empire as a whole, ten thousand low-grade spirit stones were an amount that could cause anyone’s heart to race and their eyes to turn bloodshot. So it wasn’t only Bai Qianqian who had been shocked hearing that number, both the head and the ancestor were shocked to hear it.

“We could’ve at least doubled those numbers if it weren’t for the fact that these Sea Dragon Sect cultivators ran away with most of the resources,” added the Sixth King, his tone lamenting.

Everyone nodded in agreement, but they didn’t feel too regretful about it, they were even pretty content with what they had gotten. Take Daoist Ya for example, he had earned himself four hundred low-grade spirit stones, which were enough to fuel his cultivation for an entire year. He could even buy himself an ordinary yellow rank, mid-grade treasure if he wanted.

The Bai family ancestor was beside himself with envy. Looks like they thoroughly sacked the Sea Dragon Sect!

Fang Chen smiled.”You can give me the spirit stones’ worth of spiritual materials. I will be leaving the Flame Empire soon, so can you send me my share in the next few days?”

After some discussion, they agreed to deliver the spiritual materials and spirit stones to the Qingzhou Sword Sect seven days later.

After everything was settled, they all left the Bai Family manor, and the ancestor personally saw them off.

But before leaving, Fang Chen took out five peak-grade Purple Lightning Talismans and handed them to Bai Qianqing. “Consider these payment for the tea. Keep them. If you face any problems in the future, you can go to the Qingzhou Sword Sect.”

”Thank you, Senior Fang!” beamed Bai Qianqian.

After everyone had finally left, the ancestor took the talismans from Bai Qianqian’s hand and took a look at them. ”Purple Lightning Talismans!” he exclaimed suddenly.

Those around were shocked to hear those words.

Purple Lightning Talismans? Those were some of the best low-grade, yellow-rank talismans one could get their hands on! They were very rare!

”What’s their grade, Ancestor?” asked the Bai Family Head quickly.

”I’m not sure,” the ancestor smiled, giving Bai Qianqing the talismans back, “but the spiritual energy on them is very dense, so they can’t be weak.”

They’ve really had a windfall today; not only had they been able to swallow the Huang and Liu families’ territories, but they were also able to network with a powerful sword cultivator. And all of that because of the five hundred spirit stones he had handed over to Fang Chen back then.

”Qianqian, how do you feel about going to the Qingzhou Sword Sect to cultivate?” asked the Bai Family ancestor suddenly.

”Me? Go to the Qingzhou Sword Sect?” Bai Qianqing was surprised. “But what about the family business...?”

”That’s not important. Your father still has many years to live. You’re the most talented member of the family, so we can’t have you wasting your time here,” said the Bai Family ancestor with a smile.

The head of the Bai Family felt ashamed upon hearing this.

“Then... I want to go to the Qingzhou Sword Sect to cultivate, Ancestor!”

“There’s no rush. We’ll prepare some gifts and I’ll personally take you there when the time comes,” said the ancestor after some thought.