Immortal of the Nine Realms

Fang Chen appeared so suddenly that by the time the young man died, Xia Yunxin had only recovered from her shock much later.

A flash of panic crossed Xia Yunxin’s eyes, but seeing Fang Chen silently staring at her, her heart calmed, and she whispered, ”Cousin.”

Fang Chen asked coldly, ”When did you establish contact with the Immortal Worshipping Sect?” Xia Yunxin hurriedly whispered an explanation. It turned out that during her previous travels outside, she had unknowingly met a group of cultivators. After traveling together for over ten years, these cultivators finally revealed their true identities to her. From that point on, Xia Yunxin learned about the Immortal Worshipping Sect, understood its power, and became a member.

Xia Yunxin explained, ”The Immortal Worshipping Sect is neutral and has no intention of making enemies with anyone. We survive by selling information—”

”Selling information?” Fang Chen sneered coldly. ”Selling Grand Xia’s information? Selling information about me?”

Xia Yunxin quickly defended herself, ”The information I sell doesn’t harm Grand Xia. I’ve even purchased some information from the Immortal Worshipping Sect that benefits Grand Xia. As for you, cousin... recently some in the Immortal Worshipping Sect have been quite curious about you and wanted to collect information for future use.”

Fang Chen said coldly, ”If you weren’t Auntie’s daughter and didn’t carry the Fang Family bloodline, you joining the sect alone would be enough reason for me to imprison you for a hundred years.”

Xia Yunxin did not doubt the seriousness behind Fang Chen’s words, but she still felt this cousin of hers didn’t really understand her.

She explained herself, ”Cousin, I just... encountered a great opportunity and naturally want to seize it. The Immortal Worshipping Sect’s strength is beyond ordinary imagination. Grand Xia’s territory is already vast, but compared to them, their domain is an ocean, and Grand Xia is just a grain of sand in that ocean.

”With such an opportunity, I hope to contribute to Grand Xia in the future. Father has grown so weary these years. I want to share his burden.”

Fang Chen said coldly, ”You’re not even a hundred years old. You’re just a kid. You don’t need to step in for family matters. Joining the Immortal Worshipping Sect is like inviting disaster. Don’t contact them again.”

Not even a hundred years old? Still a child?

Xia Yunxin’s expression grew strange, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she said worriedly, ”Today, a disciple of the Immortal Worshipping Sect died. I’m afraid—”

”Don’t worry about the Immortal Worshipping Sect. I’ll inform their leader. From now on, you won’t see their cultivators near here again,” Fang Chen interjected. ”I’m going to the southern region for a trip. You’ll come with me.”

In the next moment, a faint light shot up from the small courtyard and vanished into the horizon.

The young man Fang Chen had just killed had been glaring at him with a resentful gaze.

The youth Fang Chen had slain glared hatefully at him at first. But hearing those last words, his face showed confusion. Then he saw phantoms approaching, seizing him without a word and dragging him into the endless mist.

***

Southern region, Fang Manor.

Xia Yunxin was no stranger to this place. She had even spent much of her youth here. But never had she imagined she could travel from the north to the south in just a few breaths.

Even as a Foundation Establishment cultivator—whose powers seemed divine to mortals—the speed left her shaken, almost enough to forget something important.

Xia Yunxin suddenly snapped back to reality, looking at Fang Chen in disbelief. ”Cousin! What did you just say? You know the leader of the Immortal Worshipping Sect?”

She had always known her cousin was mysterious, often absent from Great Xia. She knew Great Xia’s prosperity owed much to him. However... In her mind, her cousin’s strength should only be slightly stronger than her father’s. At most, he should be at the Enlightenment Realm.

But now, hearing that he knew the leader of the Immortal Worshipping Sect and how he had brought her across the realm in the blink of an eye, all her prior assumptions were completely overturned.

”You’re still young and haven’t traveled far. There are things you don’t know, things your father never told you. That’s why a mere minor cultivator from the Immortal Worshipping Sect could sway you. But now that you’re at Foundation Establishment, you’re qualified to witness more. I’ll broaden your horizons,” said Fang Chen.

Xia Yunxin nodded frantically, a trace of hope and curiosity shining in her eyes.

The Fang residence now housed cultivators almost exclusively. There were already several Foundation Establishment cultivators. Though Fang Chen had been away for nearly a century, some elders still lived, and many juniors had been born.

These juniors recognized Xia Yunxin, but not Fang Chen. When they saw the pair arrive, they bowed respectfully.

”Aunt Yun.”

”Greetings, Aunt Yun.”

Xia Yunxin, who had just been called a child by Fang Chen, showed a slightly awkward expression but nodded lightly. ”You all may go about your business.”

The young people didn’t leave. One of them secretly observed Fang Chen for a while before gathering the courage to ask, ”Aunt Yun, who is this...”

The speaker was about thirty or forty years old. Fang Chen glanced at him a few times, then suddenly smiled. ”You’re Feng Likeng’s son, right?”

”Um...”

The man froze for a moment, his heart skipping a beat as he stared at Fang Chen in disbelief.

”What is it?” his companions asked anxiously.

He gasped in surprise, overwhelmed with joy. ”It’s... Uncle Chen!”

The others, startled, quickly realized. They had never met Fang Chen before, but had heard his name all their lives. He was the Fang Family’s most extraordinary figure.

Fang Chen asked with a smile, ”Has anyone among you had children yet?”

A number of them raised their hands awkwardly. Their talents weren’t strong, so they had married early, placing their hopes on their descendants.

Fang Chen noted each one, offered a few words of guidance, then dismissed them.

He and Xia Yunxin walked to the main hall of the Fang Manor. From a distance, they saw a man in a wheelchair at the entrance.

He sensed several familiar auras coming from inside the main hall.

Fang Chen took a deep breath, thinking that his return was just at the right time.

Fang Cangyou said with a sly smile, ”The Old Master said you’d be back, and indeed you are. His methods truly open my eyes.”

His appearance had hardly changed with the years. He was still the same as before, yet Fang Cangyou was nearly two hundred years old. Fang Chen’s divine sense swept him but detected no cultivation aura on Fang Cangyou. A vague suspicion arose in his heart.

Xia Yunxin greeted respectfully, ”Uncle.”

”Mm, come in.”

Fang Cangyou nodded, then turned to push the wheelchair into the main hall.

Once inside, they saw Fang Zhentian sitting in the center of the hall. To his left sat Fang Canghai and his wife, and to his right sat Fang Cangyue. Except for Fang Zhixue, the entire Fang Family was gathered together today.