Immortal of the Nine Realms

”You Gaohu Temple lot really know how to lick the boot. It hasn’t even been a year since the Cangyun Sect was found, and you’re already rushing to be their lapdogs?”

The speaker was a mid-stage Golden Core Realm cultivator from the Duan Family. He was looking at the only early-stage Golden Core Realm disciple under Xu Gaohu with a mocking smile.

”Lin Xiu, I used to think you were someone of character,” said the man. ”Looks like I was wrong.”

Lin Xiu was no longer young, having cultivated for over two hundred years. As Xu Gaohu’s eldest disciple, his temperament had always been calm and steady. Yet even he could not help but feel his anger flare at the insult.

He gave the mid-stage Golden Core Realm a cold look and said, ”Duan Tian’en, don’t drag Gaohu Temple into this. Your family—the Duan Family—acts without honor. You expect me to stay silent in the face of such injustice? Are you not afraid that if this matter reaches the Cangyun Sect and blows up, you won’t have enough heads to lose?”

”Cangyun Sect? I’ve heard a bit about them. So these cultivators are disciples of the Cangyun Sect. Seems like they’re all Golden Core Realm cultivators... They must have deep foundations.”

”Deep foundations? Please. Probably just a dying sect on its last leg. They most likely couldn’t keep their place in their old territory and were forced to settle here in Cang Mountain instead.”

”Speaking of deep foundations—the Duan Family’s roots are said to be deeply entrenched. I’ve heard they have an old ancestor cultivating in Cuntai Mountain with close ties to the cultivators of the Guangyuan Hall.”

Duan Tian’en sneered. ”And you say you’re not their dog? You never dared call me by name before. Even your master, Xu Gaohu, would address me as an equal. Go ask him how he first settled in Cang Mountain, did he or did he not curry favor with the Duan Family?”

Lin Xiu was momentarily at a loss for words. He had indeed heard that Xu Gaohu had once served as a guest elder for the Duan Family in his early years, which allowed him to open Gaohu Temple on Cang Mountain after ascending to Nascent Soul. But to say he had curried favor was a stretch. It had been nothing but a transaction.

Xu Gaohu gave Fang Chen a strange look. ”Fellow Daoist Fang...”

”I’ll go and ask about this matter. If it’s a misunderstanding, we can resolve it,” said Fang Chen.

He smiled and walked toward Fang Zhixue and the others.

After a moment’s thought, Xu Gaohu followed.

Hearing the commotion outside, Wei Chen and others came out to watch the show. Seeing the scene, they couldn’t help shaking their heads. ”Xu Gaohu is getting too close to the Cangyun Sect. If the Duan Family holds a grudge for it, he might be in trouble.”

”Fellow Daoist Xu is a Nascent Soul Realm expert at least. Worst case, he joins the Cangyun Sect. The Duan Family wouldn’t dare do anything, right?” someone asked in confusion.

Wei Chen gave a cold sneer but said nothing. Only he knew how powerful that Duan Family ancestor cultivating in Cuntai Mountain truly was.

Not long ago, that ancestor had successfully passed the Ninth Tribulation and advanced to the Ascension Realm. He was later hired by the Guangyuan Hall as a guest elder.

If not for having someone in Guangyuan Hall, he would never have known. Once that ancestor’s cultivation stabilized in a few months, the news would spread through Qingyuan Market.

With an Ascension Realm cultivator backing them, the Duan Family would become the top force on Cang Mountain. This Cangyun Sect, which had popped out of nowhere, would soon become nothing more than a loach.

At that moment, Lin Xiu and the others saw Fang Chen walking over and bowed. Seeing that their master, Xu Gaohu, had come over as well, they decided not to trade more barbs with Duan Tian’en and instead stood behind Xu Gaohu.

Fang Zhixue, upon seeing Fang Chen, sent him a quick voice transmission summarizing the situation.

”Brother, these people are shameless.”

Beside Fang Zhixue stood a Golden Core Realm female cultivator from the Desolate Academy. She glared at an early-stage Golden Core Realm disciple standing beside Duan Tian’en, face flushed and eyes blazing with anger.

That man wore a leering, insolent expression and showed no restraint. ℯℯ𝑙.

Fang Zhixue explained that the man had groped the woman from within the crowd.

Understanding the situation, Fang Chen quickly made up his mind. He spoke kindly to the Golden Core Realm female disciple. ”You must be a junior from Fellow Daoist Hua Miaoqing’s family, Hua Yuhe?”

Hua Yuhe bowed respectfully. ”Yes, that would be me. Greetings, Elder Fang.”

Elder... So he’s a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator...

Duan Tian’en and his companions exchanged glances. A flicker of caution passed through their eyes, though they kept their composure. Clearly, they had the Duan Family backing them and weren’t overly worried about a Nascent Soul from Cangyun Sect.

Fang Chen pointed at the lecher beside Duan Tian’en. ”Zhixue told me what happened. Why didn’t you act just now? With your cultivation and so many brothers and sisters here, you could have easily turned this man into meatpaste.”

That man froze, then gave a contemptuous snort.

The crowd also chuckled. Strike someone down in the market? They would be arrested on the spot.

The Qingyuan Market might seem unmanaged at first glance, but factions led by Loose Immortals maintained strict order. Anyone who broke their rules would be taken away without exception; light punishment meant heavy fines, heavy punishment meant death.

Xu Gaohu’s expression was awkward. He had not expected Fang Chen to speak like that. His words left little room for retreat.

Wei Chen shook his head. ”This Fellow Daoist Fang is still too young and hot-blooded.”

However, he kept his thoughts to himself and didn’t warn Fang Chen about the Duan Family. If anything, he looked entertained, eager to see how the situation would unfold.

Hua Yuhe whispered, ”I was afraid of causing trouble for the sect.”

Fang Zhixue and Langya Wenqiu exchanged glances, and their faces brightened with an excited glint.

Fang Chen smiled. ”You’re wrong. We can be low-key, but if someone bullies us, we won’t swallow it. For the ill-mannered, we cannot swallow the insult.”

Duan Tian’en couldn’t take it anymore. He cupped his hands. ”Senior, who are you calling ill-mannered? I—”

Slap!

Fang Chen backhanded him, sending Duan Tian’en flying into the crowd like a kite with a broken string.

The crowd quickly moved aside. After several breaths, Duan Tian’en finally came to his senses. He sprang up, furious and humiliated. Glaring at Fang Chen with venomous hatred, he barked, ”How dare you hit someone in the market?!”

Xu Gaohu and the others were stunned. They had not expected Fang Chen to attack Duan Tian’en in the market.

Fang Chen casually reached out, and Duan Tian’en was pulled before him by a sudden force. In that instant, Duan Tian’en suddenly realized his spiritual energy was completely unresponsive.

Fang Chen turned to Hua Yuhe and smiled. ”You do it.”

Hua Yuhe immediately rolled up her sleeves and gave Duan Tian’en over a dozen slaps. Each strike landed on the ears of the Duan Family crowd like a clap of thunder. They could almost feel their own cheeks sting as they watched Duan Tian’en receive one slap after the other.

The bastard who had started it all, seeing Duan Tian’en’s fate, turned to flee into the crowd to fetch reinforcements from Cang Mountain.

But the next moment, he too was dragged before Fang Chen.

Seeing the culprit, Hua Yuhe became even more excited, delivering over a hundred slaps in quick succession.

Fang Zhixue, Langya Wenqiu, and the other female cultivators also came forward to join in.

The male cultivators who had gone down the mountain today were less eager to take advantage, only tossing a few sarcastic remarks from the sidelines.

Xu Gaohu wore a bitter smile. He wanted to speak up but stopped himself.

Wei Chen’s eyes lit up. To the astonishment of several companions beside him, he stepped into the scene, cupped his hands to Fang Chen, and said, ”Fellow Daoist Fang, give me some face and let these two juniors go.”