Immortal of the Nine Realms

Fang Hao and the others’ eyes were filled with respect as they looked at Fang Chen. There was even a sliver of admiration mixed in there too.

”Were you just having a dispute with Abbess Zhu Yue?” Fang Chen asked Fang Hao.

Wu Jiuquan felt a sense of unease well up in his heart. How did the abbess know Fang Chen?

Fang Hao seemed to have realized something, causing his expression to turn into one of surprise. ”Brother Fang Chen, do you know her?”

Fang Chen nodded lightly. ”We’re old friends.”

Fang Hao slapped his thigh and said, ”Oh no! I wanted to buy a few Spirit Essence Pills, but unfortunately, the last few had been sold to her before I arrived. Steward Wu wanted to take them back from her for me. If I had known that they knew you, I wouldn’t have dared to do that.”

Feeling betrayed by Fang Hao’s confession, Wu Jiuquan forced a smile and bowed to Fang Chen. ”Young Master Fang, there seems to be some misunderstanding here....”

Fang Chen ignored Wu Jiuquan and smiled at Abbess Zhu Yue. ”Abbess Zhu Yue, shall we find a teahouse to chat?”

Abbess Zhu Yue nodded lightly. ”Alright.”

Fang Hao and the others escorted them to the entrance of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, then looked at each other with chagrin.

”It seems that Brother Fang Chen has a wide social circle,” said Fang Hao, sighing.

”Brother Fang Chen even easily gave up the apprenticeship token of the Purple Pole Dao Academy. With such a detached character, he naturally has many friends,” said a disciple from the third branch.

Fang Hao nodded, feeling that this statement made sense. ”Right.”

As he turned around, he saw that Wu Jiuquan’s face had turned green from embarrassment. Fang Hao immediately chuckled and said, ”Manager Wu, do you still have any Spirit Essence Pills left? Can you help me get some?”

***

On the way, Fang Qingyao gathered her courage and approached Fang Chen. ”Fang Chen, it’s been long since we last met.”

Fang Chen smiled. ”Have you settled in at the Concealed Moon Hermitage, Fang Qingyao?”

Fang Qingyao nodded softly. ”Everyone treats me very well, my master, the elders, as well as the many senior sisters over there.”

Fang Chen nodded lightly. ”That’s good to hear.”

Abbess Qing He couldn’t help but ask curiously, ”Lord Fang, why are you in Grand Qian and why were those Fang Family disciples so respectful towards you?”

Both Fang Qingyao and Abbess Zhu Yue showed curiosity on their faces, but the latter’s curiosity was more concealed.

Fang Chen smiled. ”My ancestors were from the Fang Family.”

The three women were enlightened.

Fang Qingyao was secretly shocked. So Young Master Fang’s ancestors were from Grand Qian! No wonder he was different from ordinary people from birth.

As they chatted, everyone arrived at a quiet room in the teahouse.

When Abbess Qing He saw Li Daoye, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. ”You’re here too.”

There was a slight frown on Abbess Zhu Yue’s face. ”Is your father here as well?”

”Yes, Abbess Zhu Yue,” Li Daoye smiled awkwardly, then winked at Abbess Qing He.

Abbess Zhu Yue nodded slightly. ”What a coincidence.”

After Li Daoye caught up with Abbess Qing He and exchanged names with Fang Qingyao, Fang Chen finally looked at Abbess Zhu Yue.

”Abbess Zhu Yue, there’s something I’d like to ask you about,” said Fang Chen.

Abbess Zhu Yue was slightly surprised. ”What is it?”

”It’s related to the Spirit Blood Sect.”

Immediately, the expression on Abbess Zhu Yue’s face became serious, and Abbess Qing He also looked at Fang Chen.

Fang Qingyao’s expression shifted. She had experienced the danger of Spirit Blood Sect cultivators firsthand, so these three words were very sensitive to her.

”If you’re unwilling to listen to anything related to them, Abbess Zhu Yue, then I won’t speak,” Fang Chen said softly.

”Young Master Fang, it’s alright,” Abbess Zhu Yue said lightly. ”I have had my fair share of encounters with Spirit Blood Sect cultivators by now, and I no longer have the same sentiments I used to have regarding them.”

Upon hearing this, Fang Chen explained the situation.

When the three women learned that the Spirit Blood Sect was planning to incite a war that would span the entire Hidden Cloud Region, their expressions turned solemn.

Abbess Zhu Yue frowned slightly. ”Young Master Fang, what are you planning to do? Since you’re saying this, I’m assuming you have some ideas.”

She could guess that something was up, but she didn’t know why Fang Chen thought he could intervene in the matter. This wasn’t the Flame Empire, nor was it Grand Xia. The methods of Spirit Blood Sect cultivators here would inevitably be earth-shattering.

”The Young Master of the Dongfang Family hasn’t arrived in Grand Qian, so the Spirit Blood Sect can’t do much for now. I want to make use of Abbess Qing He’s abilities to see which cultivators from the Spirit Blood Sect are present in Grand Qian,” Fang Chen said.

Abbess Zhu Yue nodded softly. ”That is indeed a good idea.”

Abbess Qing He asked, ”Lord Fang, what should I do?”

”By the time the trade conference starts, cultivators from all around the world will have gathered in the capital, and many cultivators will visit the palace as guests, frequently passing through the road in front of the palace gates. I hope that when you have nothing else to do, you can find a tea house nearby to observe these cultivators passing there,” Fang Chen said.

Li Daoye suddenly said, ”Even cultivators who are not associated with the Spirit Blood Sect can carry a lot of karma from their past lives. How do we distinguish them from each other?”

”When cultivators die, their souls can easily enter the cycle of reincarnation and won’t linger in the mortal world for long. Only the souls of mortals remain in the human realm because they died unjustly and cannot easily see the path of reincarnation,” Abbess Zhu Yue said lightly. ”We can probably infer some clues from this. Let’s follow Young Master Fang’s instructions. The Spirit Blood Sect’s ambitions are huge, and both you and I reside in the Hidden Cloud Region, so we’re tied by karma to this matter. We cannot stand idly by.”

After saying this, she glanced at Abbess Qing He. There was something she kept to herself. If Abbess Qing He could help with this and thwart the Spirit Blood Sect’s plot, she would gain great benefits.

”It’s just a pity that my heart is not as pure as it used to be. I’m entangled in worldly affairs, making it difficult to follow this path,” Abbess Zhu Yue sighed lightly. She was no longer the young girl she used to be. She lacked a pure mind. Her actions were now driven by certain purposes, and even if she could gain some benefits from them, they wouldn’t be too many.

Half an hour later, everyone gradually left the teahouse.

Fang Chen had just returned to his courtyard when he saw Fang Wanli sitting on a stone bench, chatting with Jiang Tianai. Li Cang and Chang Feilan were standing respectfully on the side, not daring to make a sound.

Fang Wanli looked at Fang Chen. ”The kid’s back?”

There was something about Fang Wanli’s expression, it seemed to hold some hidden meaning.

Fang Chen nodded and clasped his fists. ”Greetings, Patriarch.”

”There are Foundation Building Pills in this box. However, breaking through to the Foundation Building can take a long time. It might take several years, or it might take several decades. It also carries risks. After you finish your duel with Jue Wudi, take one and go into seclusion,” Fang Wanli said.

Fang Wanli gently raised his hand, and a jade box flew in front of Fang Chen.

Li Cang and Chang Feilan’s expressions lit up. ”A Foundation Building Pill?”

Did that mean... that their young master would soon be able to advance to the Foundation Building Realm, just like Elder Fang Ao and the others?

The more they thought about it, the more excited they became.

Jiang Tianai was secretly happy for Fang Chen too, and she couldn’t help but feel that this old man before her, who enjoyed drinking, was a good person.

Fang Chen was slightly taken aback, his gaze falling on the jade box. He had originally planned to purchase a Foundation Building Pill at the trade conference. He didn’t expect to obtain one to be delivered right to his doorstep, without him needing to spend a single spirit stone.

Mirror of the Universe’s voice suddenly rang in Fang Chen’s mind. ”Brother, this Foundation Building Pill is of no use to you.”