Immortal of the Nine Realms

The pillar of light lasted for six months. During this time, Bai Qingming’s legs had completely regrown. He sat cross-legged before a sword monument with his eyes closed. The sword intent radiating from him was growing visibly stronger by the day.

Meanwhile, Yan Kun made his final step, finally reaching the summit.

”Finally made it to the top...” muttered Yan Kun, his heart brimming with joy.

Yan Kun’s arrival marked a start. Fu Donghai and the others also began to appear one after another.

Their perseverance had shocked everyone.

Yan Kun swept his gaze around and spotted Bai Qingming, who was in the middle of receiving a sword inheritance. A look of confusion appeared on his face. ”Why isn’t it Fang Chen?”

After a moment, a laugh full of mockery escaped Fu Donghai’s mouth. ”And here I thought he was the one receiving an inheritance. Turns out he wasn’t even acknowledged by this place.”

As for the Sun Family’s sword cultivators, they cared about none of that. The moment they laid their eyes on the sword monuments, they rushed toward them in a frenzy. They ignored the ones that had already been claimed by others before and headed toward the ones that had never been received.

From a distance, Yan Kun clasped his hands at Fang Chen and called out, ”Sword Leader Fang.”

Then, without further delay, he began searching for a suitable monument for himself.

As others started doing the same, exclamations of surprise started filling the air.

”Huh... why is there a palm print on this sword stele?”

”There’s one here too? Mine has one as well.”

”That’s strange. I heard even Loose Immortals would struggle to damage these sword monuments. Who could’ve left palm prints on them?”

Everyone exchanged confused glances, clearly shocked by the discovery. No one knew what had happened here before their arrival.

A long time ago, Loose Immortals had ascended to the peak and recovered their cultivation, but even they hadn’t managed to damage these sword monuments, no matter how much they tried. In fact, it wasn’t just these monuments. Even the grass and trees on the summit couldn’t be harmed.

Rumors were circulating that the summit was actually shrouded in a Sword Domain.

Fu Donghai looked toward Fang Chen in the distance and asked loudly, ”Fang Chen, you arrived early. Were these palm prints already here before?”

Fang Chen smiled and nodded. ”They were already here.”

Everyone’s expression grew serious.

”It seems something happened here that we have no knowledge of,” someone said.

A few days later, Yan Kun found a sword monument willing to grant him its inheritance and immediately began accepting it.

Next was Zhang Gaotian.

Lastly, a sword cultivator from the Sun Family stumbled upon one.

Aside from these three, no one else received an inheritance.

Fu Donghai’s expression was dark. With his talent, he would’ve never imagined that he would fail to obtain anything even after climbing to the top of the Sword Burial Heavenly Steps.

These sword monuments did not acknowledge anyone besides the three who had been accepted.

”Fortunately, I am not alone. Even Fang Chen wasn’t acknowledged despite performing so outstandingly. Saves me a bit of face.”

Fu Donghai felt slightly more at peace knowing that.

Roughly a month later, Yan Kun and the others gradually completed the acceptance of their inheritance. The first to begin, Bai Qingming, had also finished receiving it.

Seeing that Bai Qingming was done, Fang Chen smiled and asked, ”Senior Brother, how do you feel?”

It took Bai Qingming a few seconds to open his eyes. He looked at Fang Chen and nodded. ”It’s very powerful. The sword scripture I comprehended is called Heaven Slaying. Its offensive power is at least ten times stronger than what I have been cultivating previously!”

”Heaven Slaying...” muttered Fang Chen.

Fang Chen nodded. The name of this sword scripture was indeed quite domineering. No wonder Li Jingnian had wanted them to comprehend the scripture of this particular sword monument.

Yan Kun said with a faint smile, ”Everyone, this journey is over. It’s time to leave.”

Judging by his demeanor, the sword scripture he obtained had to be quite formidable.

With everyone’s cultivation recovered, they soared into the sky one after another, leaving. However, it didn’t take long for the to notice the oddity of the Long and Sun Families situations.

Seeing Li Changsheng and Zhao Yunlu standing together, a solemn expression appeared on Bai Qingming’s face. Why is Zhao Yunlu standing together with Li Changsheng?

He tugged on Fang Chen’s sleeve and cautioned, ”Junior Brother, wait.”

Fu Donghai suddenly looked toward Fang Chen and Bai Qingming, a faint sneer flashing in his eyes.

Li Changsheng said calmly, ”Yan Kun, bring Fang Chen over.”

”Bai Qingming, it’s best if you don’t interfere. You’ve received a sword inheritance. Your future here is bright.”

Fu Donghai looked at Bai Qingming with a half-smile. As a sword cultivator in the Tribulation Realm, his aura faintly pressed down on Bai Qingming and Fang Chen.

Yan Kun was taken aback for a moment. He looked at Li Changsheng, then at Zhao Yunlu beside him. Soon, he began to understand.

”So it really is as you said... something’s off. The Long Family’s Loose Immortals are gone. The Sun Family’s too...”

Bai Qingming ignored Fu Donghai. His eyes, like lightning, swept across the surroundings and instantly spotted what was wrong.

”Yan Kun, you bring Fang Chen to see Young Master Li. Leave Bai Qingming to me,” said Fu Donghai with a faint smile.

Without delay, he slashed at Bai Qingming with his sword, sending his sword intent surging forward like a mighty river.

”Get lost!” said Bai Qingming, casually countering with a sword strike.

This strike contained the Heaven Slaying sword intent he had just comprehended!

Like a lonely boat in the middle of a stormy sea, Fu Donghai’s sword intent was overturned.

A look of utter shock appeared on Fu Donghai’s face. Moments later, he collapsed to the ground, blood gushing out of his abdomen. Bits of internal organs were mixed in with the blood.

Everyone was stunned. No matter what, Fu Donghai was still a Tribulation Realm sword cultivator. He was a whole major realm higher than Bai Qingming.

”You deserve to die!” roared Xue Shan in fury and instantly charged forward with his sword.

Yan Kun glanced at Fang Chen and transmitted a message, ”Escape with your senior brother. Quickly.”

Then, appearing to attack Fang Chen, he suddenly intercepted Xue Shan.

Xue Shan’s momentum stalled. He didn’t dare kill Yan Kun. After all, Yan Kun was Li Changsheng’s disciple.

At the same time, a tremendous suction force suddenly surged from behind, causing Xue Shan to lurch and be forcibly pulled back to where he stood.

Furious and alarmed, he turned to glare at Zhao Yunlu.

Zhao Yunlu said indifferently, ”I haven’t searched his soul yet. How can he die under your sword?”

Xue Shan, with nowhere to vent his anger, could only check on Fu Donghai’s injuries first.

Zhao Yunlu looked at Fang Chen and said, ”Don’t even think about escaping. You can’t.”

”Ancestor Li, what is the meaning of this?” Bai Qingming looked at Li Changsheng, frowning. ”Didn’t we agree that if my junior brother reached the top, the Long Family would step in to protect him?”

Long Ao and the others looked grim, and the Sun Family didn’t look any better. What was promised before was in the past. Now, they could hardly protect themselves.

Li Changsheng asked with a smile, ”There’s been a change in plans. Among you, who has received a sword scripture inheritance?”

”It was Bai Qingming,” replied a sword cultivator from the Sun Family.

Not Fang Chen?

Everyone was stunned. Why was it Bai Qingming who received the sword scripture inheritance? He had only been carried to the end of the Sword Burial Heavenly Steps. By all reasoning, it should’ve been Fang Chen who gained the inheritance!

”That’s a surprise,” murmured Li Changsheng.

In truth, he had already noticed. After all, Bai Qingming’s current sword intent was terrifying.

He looked at Bai Qingming and said, ”I’m willing to take you as my disciple and grant you a bright future. Think it over. Don’t ruin yourself.”

”Did you betray my junior brother?” Bai Qingming’s face darkened. ”Where have the Long Family’s Loose Immortal Realm cultivators gone?”

Long Ruo suddenly shouted, ”Fang Chen! These sword cultivators have betrayed us!”

Xue Shan, who had just taken Fu Donghai back to the immortal boat for treatment, walked straight up to Long Ruo and slapped her across the face.

Long Ao roared in fury, ”Xue Shan! You damn dog! How dare you hit my daughter!”

Xue Shan replied coldly, ”Master, can’t you see the situation you are in?”

Long Ao’s expression shifted slightly. He slowly suppressed the anger in his heart and said nothing more.

Bai Qingming looked at Fang Chen and muttered softly, ”Junior Brother... It looks like Li Changsheng is playing a grand game.”