Immortal of the Nine Realms

“Indeed, you wouldn’t be here just for this matter, would you? Your sect, the Grand Thousand Dao Sect, is infested with traitors. Not only will that person named Li be sentenced to death, but I suspect all of you as well. Although the young master hasn’t said anything yet, I guess that in a few days, all of you will be summoned for questioning.”

The disciple guarding the mountain said triumphantly, “Aren’t you supposed to be a righteous Dao Sect? How can a righteous Dao Sect have traitors?”

Liu Dong glared at him angrily. “Our ancestor’s fate in that battle is still unknown. What right do you have to declare that Martial Uncle Li is a traitor?”

“Oh! Now that you have backing, you don’t regard me anymore? Don’t forget how you begged me to get you some healing pills. Have you forgotten how you were practically groveling?” The disciple raised his voice, mocking Liu Dong. “You’re just a small fry; whether your ancestor is dead or alive is uncertain. Maybe it’s a ploy to divert suspicion, or perhaps he’s been implicated by that guy surnamed Li.”

“You’re taking advantage of the situation! A mid-grade, yellow-rank White Dew Pill should cost forty low-grade spirit stones, but you’re charging me two hundred! You’re clearly robbing us!” Liu Dong barked in agitation. “Elder Xu was injured in battle, and now you’re not only withholding the allocated White Dew Pills but also gouging us!”

“Surnamed Liu, enough of this. There are some things you shouldn’t say. Be careful, or you might not find even your ashes after you leave this place,” the disciple warned with a threatening tone.

The mountain-guarding disciple’s face darkened immediately. He glanced sideways at Fang Chen and sneered. “Don’t think that having an ancestor from your sect will back you up. Didn’t you see what happened to Pei Qingfeng? At this time, even Golden Core Realm cultivators are like ants. If you follow our orders from the Parting Fiery Dao Gate, you might still have a chance to survive. Otherwise, heh...”

“Continue. What will happen if we don’t follow your sect’s orders?” Fang Chen asked calmly.

That disciple smirked. “You know very well.”

Fang Chen slapped the disciple across the face, sending him spinning in place for several circles before he regained his senses. The disciple, stunned,covered his bruised cheek. “You...!”

“Go on. If we don’t obey the Parting Fiery Sect, what will happen?” Fang Chen said indifferently. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The disciple, having no other choice, let out a long howl. Moments later, dozens of cultivators appeared, led by a Foundation Building Realm cultivator.

The leader of the Foundation Building Realm cultivators frowned, his gaze shifting between Fang Chen and Liu Dong. “What’s the matter?”

When he noticed the mountain’s watchman’s swollen face and bleeding mouth, his expression turned grim. A trace of killing intent emanated from him.

“Fourth Uncle, this person is from the Grand Thousand Dao Sect. He baselessly accused our sect of wrongdoing. When I tried to argue with him, he struck me!” the disciple said in fury.

“Seize him,” the Foundation Building Realm leader commanded coldly.

As soon as the leader’s words fell, Fang Chen slapped him, sending him flying a hundred meters away.

The surrounding dozen or so Qi Refining Realm cultivators exchanged looks, their faces gradually showing shock and anger.

They did not act, as it was clear that the opponent’s strength was above Foundation Building.

“Fourth Uncle!”

The mountain’s watchman cried out in alarm. Before he could make a move, his vision went dark, and he too was sent crashing to the ground beside the Foundation Building Realm leader, both appearing lifeless. However, their chests still rose and fell.

“You... Are you here to attack our sect?” one of the Qi Refining disciples mustered his courage and asked.

Ignoring him, Fang Chen turned to Liu Dong. “Where is Elder Xu now? How many people are here? Lead the way.”

“A-Ancestor, follow me.” Liu Dong finally snapped out of his daze, feeling a surge of relief but also some anxiety.

However, he gritted his teeth, deciding not to care any longer. It had been too frustrating recently, and he couldn’t tolerate it any longer!

Seeing that the two of them had already ascended the mountain gate, the Qi Refining Realm disciples hesitated before making any move to stop them. It was only after the two had disappeared from sight that one of them shouted angrily, “Why aren’t you stopping them!”

After saying that, he rushed over to check on the mountain watchman and the Foundation Building Realm leader, trying to rouse them.

After a few breaths, the two regained consciousness, their expressions bewildered.

“Why am I in my bedroom?”

The Foundation Building Realm leader was dazed for a moment. However, he quickly snapped out of it. He saw a large face leaning down close to him and slapped the person in a fit of rage.

It wasn’t until the person, with a wronged expression, came forward to recount what had happened that the leader realized he had been knocked out when he ordered the capture of Fang Chen.

“It’s a Golden Core! It must be a Golden Core; only a Golden Core could defeat me so easily!”

The Foundation Building Realm leader rubbed his face and clenched his teeth. His eyes were filled with anger and shame. The fact that he was briefly knocked unconscious by his opponent was a tremendous humiliation.

Realizing that Fang Chen and Liu Dong had already scaled the mountain, he scowled and looked toward the mountain top. “They’ve gone up the mountain? They truly aren’t afraid of death. Send a few people to notify the sect leader. As for the rest of you, come with me to stop this intruder!”

Most of the Qi Refining Realm disciples immediately dispersed, leaving only the leader’s trusted subordinates behind. The Foundation Building Realm leader, furious and pale, couldn’t believe so many would flee at the mention of sending a message.

“Cowards! Even on our own turf, you show such fear. What future can you expect?” he scolded angrily.

He quickly led his dazed nephew and the remaining Qi Refining Realm disciples to pursue Fang Chen.

***

The air was filled with a faint, unpleasant stench. Here, there were hundreds of makeshift wooden shelters. They resembled more like barns for livestock rather than proper houses, with gaps in the wooden boards allowing one to catch glimpses of the inside.

Each shelter was almost entirely occupied, with occupants showing varying degrees of dazed expressions and pallor, all bearing numerous injuries. The foul odor emanated from the wounds that had not healed for a long time.

“Ancestor, if we survive the front lines, we’ll have the chance to return here to recover for seven days. After those seven days, we’ll be expected to continue following the Parting Fiery Dao Sect’s orders and fight against the Langya Clan’s cultivators.”

Liu Dong whispered, “Originally, the seven-day period was enough for us to heal, especially with the supply of healing pills from the Qin Clan. But those pills have been completely hoarded. We can only get them at exorbitant prices, and only those with connections can buy them at lower prices.”

“Since the war between the Immortal Qin Clan and Langya Clan began, the prices of pills have skyrocketed.”

“The mid-grade, yellow-rank healing pill, White Dew Pill, used cost only forty spirit stones. You can’t even buy it at double the price right now.

“These were pills distributed by the Qin Clan, yet these scoundrels of the Parting Fiery Dao Sect are selling them to us at five times the price. They didn’t spend a single spirit stone and are living in luxury!”

As he spoke, Liu Dong led Fang Chen to a wooden shelter. Just as they arrived, the shelter’s door was smashed open, and a figure rolled out, landing right at Fang Chen’s feet.

“Daoist, please don’t misunderstand. I didn’t know you were outside,” said a burly cultivator from inside the shelter, smiling at Fang Chen.

Fang Chen looked down and saw Elder Xu’s face, pale and dazed.

How has he been tortured to such a degree in just a few months?