Immortal of the Nine Realms

The old man had a face filled with wrinkles that made him look as if he was ready to return to the soil, but not a single person present dared to make light of him.

Fang Zhentian was an imperial court’s veteran, having served three generations of emperors. His seniority towers above that of the Minister of Justice, Jiang Yushu. His achievements were also resounding, as more than thirty percent of Great Xia’s territory was conquered by him.

He was a prodigious martial artist, reaching pinnacle Ki Control at a young age. However, the many internal traumas he had received from his many years of fighting rendered him unable to advance to Ki Manifestation.

As he advanced in age, he handed over his military power back to the imperial court and began idling at home. Fang Canghai and Fang Cangyou were in their prime then, so they took his role and became the new pillars propping Great Xia’s military.

Even so, there was a huge gap between Fang Zhantian and his two sons in terms of their martial art talent and their commanding ability. The Fang Clan slowly began to lose its prestige, till Fang Chen emerged.

A key reason behind Fang Chen’s swift rise to power back then was due to Fang Zhentian’s influence. Many of the older generations saw a younger Fang Zhentian in Fang Chen, and they felt inclined to support this rising star of Great Xia.

Xiao Shence and Yan Beihan reflexively took a step back, with doubt brimming in their eyes. The Fang Clan’s Old Master has come out of his seclusion? Does that mean he has managed to make a breakthrough to Ki Manifestation, or… did he fail?

“Father, did you make a breakthrough?” Fang Cangyou asked with hopeful eyes.

“You brat, how did you end up on a wheelchair? If you listened to me and started a family, you wouldn’t have gotten into trouble and crippled your legs,” Fang Zhentian roared.

Fang Cangyou looked awkward. Yan Beihan also fidgeted uncomfortably on the spot, as he was the one who crippled Fang Cangyou.

“Father.”

Fang Chen’s mother rushed forward to support Fang Zhentian. Fang Zhixue quickly followed suit and supported the old man from the other side.

“Lass, you have reached Ki Explosion? Not bad, not bad. You are the most talented woman in our Fang Manor.” Fang Zhentian looked at Fang Zhixue with a smile.

Fang Zhixue responded with a proud smile. “Grandfather, I’m planning to reach Ki Control in the near future.”

“Good, good. I hope to see it when that day comes.” Fang Zhentian patted Fang Zhixue’s head. He turned to Fang Chen’s mother and asked, “Where’s Canghai?”

“According to them, my husband has been taken to the imperial court.”

Fang Chen’s mother concisely explained everything that has happened to Fang Zhentian.

“Oh? Chen’er has regained his martial cultivation? That’s good news.” A glint flashed across Fang Zhentian’s eyes.

Fang Cangyou quickly added, “Father, Fang Chen has not just regained his martial cultivation but is now stronger than ever. You don’t have to go into seclusion anymore.”

It was when Fang Chen was defeated in the Three Realms Mountain five years and lost his sight and had his martial cultivation crippled that Fang Zhentian went into seclusion, determined to reach Ki Manifestation so that he could protect his clan.

“Where’s Chen’er?” Fang Zhentian ignored Fang Cangyou and asked Fang Chen’s mother.

“Chen’er has gone to the southern region to settle some matters. I’m not sure when he’ll return,” Fang Chen’s mother replied.

“Are the martial artists in the southern region causing trouble again?” Fang Zhentian muttered. “Those fellows aren’t easy to deal with, but Chen’er should be able to suppress them.”

There was a pause before Fang Zhentian turned to Xiao Shence and Yan Beihan. “What did His Majesty tell you?”

“His Majesty… ordered everyone from the Fang Manor to head to the Palace of Great Peace. Chillwater’s envoy wants to get to the bottom of Zhou Xiu’s death,” Xiao Shence said.

“Who did Chillwater send?” Fang Zhentian asked.

“The Ji Clan’s Ji Lengyue,” Xiao Shence replied. “His Majesty has his hands tied for this matter. Chillwater is interfering in this because Viscount Zhou Xiu, whom Fang Chen killed not long ago, happens to have the Ji Clan’s bloodline.”

“The Ji Clan who created the Nightmare Knights?” Fang Zhentian frowned. “I crossed blows with the Nightmare Knights in my younger years. They are indeed a force to be reckoned with.”

The crowd was startled. Xiao Shence and Yan Beihan exchanged gazes too.

Was the Fang Clan’s Old Master so formidable as to have clashed with the Ji Clan’s Nightmare Knights?

“We should head to the Palace of Great Peace since it is His Majesty’s order,” Fang Zhentian said. “Regardless of the problem, we just have to talk things through.”

Old Huang and the others dropped the idea of resorting to force. They knew that Fang Chen would punish them if they defied Fang Zhentian’s orders.

“One of you should remain here to update Chen’er when he returns,” Fang Zhentian told Xiao Shence.

“Commander, I’ll stay behind.” Chiliarch Niu Jue volunteered himself.

Xiao Shence glanced at him before nodding. “All right, you’ll stay behind.”

A huge crowd had gathered outside the Fang Clan by then.

The arrival of the Valiant Defenders and the Imperial Guards had caused such a huge commotion that it was impossible to conceal what was going on. Many clans had sent their servants over to scout out the situation.

The crowd was taken aback when they saw the Fang Clan being escorted out of their manor by the Valiant Defenders and the Imperial Guards.

“Does Chillwater intend to massacre them? They are taking their servants and maids too!”

“Where is War God Fang?”

A few people in the crowd eyed the Valiant Defenders and the Imperial Guards with eyes overflowing with hostility, but after some exchange of gazes with Xu Ge and the others, they chose to hold themselves back.

“Our emperor can’t possibly turn a blind eye to the matter now that Chillwater’s envoy is here. The Fang Manor is doomed.”

“Who’s that old man?”

“Hm? Could that be the Fang Manor’s Old Master?”

“It does look like him…”

“It looks like things have gotten serious. Of course, how could Great Xia dare to fool Chillwater?”

“Why is Fang Chen nowhere to be seen?”

“I heard he’s out of the capital.”

“Did that brat escape because he knew Chillwater was coming?”

Guhe and Yizhou scholars pointed their fingers at the Fang Manor as they gossiped among themselves.

Meanwhile, a group of Great Xia’s scions, led by Tao Yu and Ye Qinghe, was also watching the situation from the streets.

“Even the Fang Manor’s Old Master was forced out of his seclusion?” Ye Qinghe was astonished.

He had heard much about Fang Zhentian’s affairs from his father; the latter was practically a Fang Chen in his era. Yet, they forced such a person out of his seclusion?

“The Fang Clan is over.” Tao Yu frowned. “Without the Fang Clan, our Great Xia’s military will be much weaker than before. This isn’t good for our soldiers’ morale.”

“Brother Tao, this is good news. The Fang Clan has always dominated the imperial court. Their absence will be a blessing to our Great Xia.”

“Indeed. Fang Chen only knows how to cause trouble. He messed with the wrong person this time around and got us into trouble with Chillwater.”

Quite a few youths agreed with Ye Qinghe. They were envious at how Fang Chen, despite being at the same age as them, had accomplished feats beyond what they could do in their lifetimes.

“You fools.” Tao Yu glared at them in disdain. “We might be on bad terms with Fang Chen, but this is just an internal conflict. Do you really think the downfall of the Fang Clan will benefit our Great Xia? What if Longdu attacks us once more? Who is going to stop them?”

The crowd was taken aback.

Ye Qinghe looked at Tao Yu and calmly replied, “There are many other talents in the military, just that they have been outshone by Fang Chen. Others will naturally step up to defend our Great Xia if the Fang Clan falls.”

“Qinghe, I’d have agreed with you if the Fang Clan fell when we weren’t facing external threats. That would have been good news. However, you are taking our Great Xia’s security for granted. We can’t allow the Fang Clan to fall, at least not at this juncture.” Tao Yu shook his head.

Ye Qinghe wanted to argue against that, only to suddenly notice something and exclaim, “Hm? Those from the Court of Great Brilliance are here!”