Immortal of the Nine Realms

“I have been hearing thunderous rumbles from the Fang Clan in the past few days.”

“War God Fang must have been practicing his Purple Lightning Palm.”

“I heard the Fang Manor is going to participate in a military exercise with Chillwater. I wonder how that’ll turn out.”

“What do you expect? ‘Military exercise’ is just a nice way of phrasing it. Chillwater envoy is using this as an excuse to suppress War God Fang and exact vengeance for Zhou Xiu!”

In recent days, the civilians would gossip each time they passed by the Fang Manor. They were still unaware of what had transpired in the imperial court.

However, those in the upper echelons had been moving their hidden pieces, hoping to gather some useful information from the Fang Manor.

In one of the guest palaces, Ji Lengyue was seated in a chair as he supervised the Nightmare Knights’ training. They dared not to get careless even though their opponent was Great Xia, a mere grade-9 state.

They could see the shadows of grade-6 Infernoblaze Country behind their opponent, and that filled their hearts with unease.

“Young master, we have compiled everything Fang Chen has done in the capital in recent days.” A Nightmare Knight walked up to Ji Lengyue and handed him a booklet.

Ji Lengyue took the booklet and flipped through it. A frown formed on his face. “He killed a Ki Control martial artist from Greenpine’s Wolf Army in the imperial palace. That was the day he showed his fangs again after lying low for five years.

“After that, he killed Zhou Xiu, followed by Longdu’s Marquess Xianyu. While Great Xia was fighting off Longdu’s cavalrymen, mysterious experts suddenly appeared out of nowhere and worked together with Great Xia to push them back.

“These appear to be Fang Chen’s doing, but they are likely orchestrated by that Li Daoye. Only he has the capability to pull that off. He is a cultivator from a grade-6 state, after all.”

The Nightmare Knight asked with a suppressed voice, “Young master, cultivators have always viewed mortals as mere ants. Even martial artists wouldn’t earn any respect from them. I don’t understand why he’s helping Fang Chen and the Fang Manor.”

“I don’t know the reason behind that yet.” Ji Lengyue shook his head. “I thought that I’d be able to avenge Zhou Xiu and suppress the Great Xia, but I didn’t expect to find a cultivator here.

“But there’s nothing to worry about. I have already sent word back home. Chillwater might not have an official cultivator, but our Ji Clan does have a cultivator whom we worship. Once my grandfather receives the news, he’ll implore the cultivator to head here. It’s just that we’ll likely have to pay a heavy price for it.”

The Nightmare Knight’s eyes lit up. As someone who had served the Ji Clan for many years, he had once accompanied the Ji Clan’s Old Master to pay a visit to the cultivator. That cultivator did possess exceptional means.

If the cultivator was willing to make a move on their behalf, they wouldn’t have to fear Infernoblaze’s cultivator.

Fang Chen’s soul quietly eavesdropped on their conversation from the sky. Many of his doubts unraveled when he learned that the Ji Clan was worshiping a cultivator.

“That cultivator must have helped the Ji Clan to find the Nightmare Steed. It’s no wonder the Ji Clan became so powerful that they could stand on equal ground with Chillwater’s imperial family and control half the country,” Fang Chen murmured with a smile.

This also suggested that other grade-8 and grade-8 states could be worshiping cultivators too, though these cultivators were likely at the bottom of the barrel in the world of cultivation.

Cultivators needed resources to raise their cultivation, but the lower grade states were likely stuck in their grades because they lacked these resources.

For instance, Fang Chen hadn’t found any ki stone of cultivation resource in Great Xia other than that spirit spring. Given so, it wouldn’t be able to provide for a cultivator even if it wanted to. Which cultivator would be so carefree to protect Great Xia when it had nothing to offer them?

Chillwater could have been in a better position, which was why the Ji Clan could worship a cultivator, though Ji Lengyue’s words suggested that the Ji Clan was paying a steep price for it.

“But the stronger cultivators wouldn’t stay at a place like this even if they were worshiped. Only those who don’t have the ability to survive in the stronger states would choose to remain here… But there’s a chance that cultivator is a Blood Spirit Cultist. The Foundation Establishment cultivator behind Zhou Yizeng might just be hiding in Chillwater.”

It was just a blind guess, but to be safe, Fang Chen thought that there was a need to verify it.

He shot one last glance at Ji Lengyue before leaving the place. His next destination was the crown prince’s manor.

The crown prince’s manor was bustling today. The famous young talents in the capital were here to enjoy fine wine and delicacies while coming up with poems and couplets. Every now and then, they would talk about the current climate in the world.

Tao Yu, Ye Qinghe, and the others were present.

Fang Chen also spotted Li Huafeng, the son of Prime Minister Li Guozhu and the Court of Great Brilliance’s supervisor. He was smiling gleefully. From the flow of his inner ki, it was clear he had made a breakthrough to Ki Control.

Fang Chen narrowed his eyes. He had heard earlier from Director Zhao that Li Huafeng had advanced to Ki Control. As the one who had previously crippled Li Huafeng, he knew that it should have been impossible for the latter to advance to Ki Control.

The fact that Li Huafeng was able to recover from his internal trauma while he was away from the capital and made a breakthrough to Ki Control spelled that something was amiss.

“Your Highness, why are you frowning? Now that Chillwater is here, Fang Chen can’t possibly escape unscathed this time,” Li Huafeng took a sip of wine as he asked with a smile.

“That arrogant Fang Chen acted heedlessly and nearly turned Chillwater against us. We’re fortunate that Chillwater’s envoy was wise and chose to punish him alone.”

“Fang Chen’s absence will be Great Xia’s blessing!”

Many voiced their agreement.

Xia Yu looked at the crowd and sighed. These people still don’t know what happened in the Palace of Great Peace a few days ago. They don’t know that the Fang Manor is backed by a cultivator from grade-6 Infernoblaze.

The emperor had ordered a gag restraint on the news. Even Tao Mingsheng and the others dared not to tell their family members.

Li Huafeng, as the Court of Great Brilliance’s supervisor, should have been at the Palace of Great Peace that day, but he had recently been immersed in advancing his martial cultivation after healing from his internal trauma that he missed the assembly that day.

Thus, he was oblivious to the events that transpired that day.

“You don’t understand.” Xia Yu took a sip from his wine cup. “Fang Chen proposed a military exercise with Chillwater. What do you think his odds of victory are?”

“Fang Chen’s arrogance has gotten ahead of himself this time. He’s no god. How could the Fang Manor’s guards stand a chance against the Nightmare Knights?” Ye Qinghe sneered in disdain. “It’ll be futile even if he personally joins the battle. I heard Chillwater’s envoy is an Earth Profound martial artist. A Ki Manifestation martial artist won’t stand a chance!”

The crowd nodded in agreement. They couldn’t help but be envious of Ji Lengyue’s strength. Even Xia Yu, Great Xia’s crown prince, was lacking in comparison to him.

“Would he propose such a challenge if he doesn’t stand a chance at all?” Xia Yu frowned.

All of a sudden, Li Huafeng leaned in and whispered, “Your Highness, do you have more of that incredible pill you bestowed to me? My inner ki grew by leaps and bounds after taking one. You won’t have to fear the likes of Fang Chen once I advance to Ki Manifestation.”

The crown prince gave Li Huafeng a pill? Fang Chen stared at Xia Yu with such frigid eyes that the latter shuddered despite not noticing him.

Xia Yu shook his head and replied, “It’s not easy to obtain that pill. The person who concocted it isn’t in the capital at the moment. We’ll talk about it when he returns.”

“Xia Yu is the one colluding with the Blood Spirit Cult?” Fang Chen murmured, unsurprised by this revelation.