Immortal of the Nine Realms

Chapter 226: Entering the Palace

The old daoist first eyed the surroundings before laying his gaze on Li Huafeng. He let out a sigh and asked, “Who did this? Where’s your senior?”

“It’s the Pristine Poison King and Great Xia’s Fang Chen!” Li Huafeng replied with clenched jaws. “They are the ones who killed senior. My legs were amputated by Fang Chen!”

“Great Xia? That’s where you were born?”

The old daoist frowned. He glanced at the middle-aged man’s corpse not too far away before slowly heading over to take a closer look.

“Master, am I no longer able to cultivate now that I have lost my legs?” Li Huafeng was worried.

The old daoist first inspected the middle-aged man’s corpse before turning back to Li Huafeng. “You still can cultivate without your legs, but it’ll be troublesome.”

“That’s wonderful!” Li Huafeng’s eyes lit up.

He might be a cripple now, but his future was still bright if he could still cultivate.

“Where’s the Pristine Poison King? Did he flee after killing your senior and these people?” the old daoist asked with a frown. “Where’s the cultivation method you bought?”

“Master, Fang Chen killed the Pristine Poison King and took the cultivation method with him. Please chase after Fang Chen and kill him. I fear he might become a threat to our Cloudless Monastery if left be!” Li Huafeng exclaimed. “The grudge between him and me is too deep.”

“Was your senior killed by the Pristine Poison King or Fang Chen?” the old daoist asked with a frown.

“They were both involved!” Li Huafeng replied without any hesitation.

“But these wounds were left by a dagger. The incisions fit the dagger you carry.” The old daoist waved his hand, and a dagger flew into his grasp.

Li Huafeng’s face stiffened up. “They stole my dagger…”

The old daoist imitated a crude stabbing action. “You’re telling me that they stole your dagger and stabbed your senior to death like that? A cultivator did that?”

Li Huafeng was speechless.

The old daoist sighed. “When I found you while passing by Great Xia, I thought that I could nurture you to become another expert of our Cloudless Monastery. I never thought that you would be so vicious as to kill your own senior.”

“Master, it’s not what you imagine it to be. I am innocent…” Li Huafeng tried to explain himself.

He believed that this seven tolls cultivation aptitude could convince his master to overlook this matter. The Cloudless Monastery had already lost its eldest disciple, after all. He didn’t think that his master would want to lose another talented disciple.

“I’ll look for Fang Chen. He’s not to be underestimated if he killed the Pristine Poison King, but I’ll have means to deal with him as long as he hasn’t reached Foundation Establishment. As for you… you killed your fellow sect member and even tried to deceive me. You can’t be spared, but I concede that you do possess outstanding cultivation talent. I can at least use you as a medicine rat. I’ll spare you for the time being.”

The old daoist snorted. “Bring him back.”

“Yes, master.”

A few younger daoists walked forward and carried Li Huafeng off.

Medicine rat?! Li Huafeng was horrified. “Master, I was wrong! Master!”

The old daoist coldly turned around and left, not paying him any heed.

…

The capital of Great Xia, the Fang Manor.

This manor still belonged to the Fang Clan even though they had migrated to the south. Elites from the Valiant Defenders had been assigned to guard the manor, so no one dared to intrude.josei

Fang Chen was the one who supported the new emperor to the throne, and the commander of the Valiant Defenders, Huang Sihai, used to be one of his Four Dragon Generals. The Fifth King and Minister Jiang were on close terms with the Fang Clan too.

The immortals’ recent visit to take in disciples only further cemented Fang Chen’s standing in Great Xia.

The populace would hesitate to kill even a rat that ran out of the Fang Manor!

Tie Ma looked at the boxes of martial arts manuals and exclaimed in awe, “Did you and the young master plunder Chillwater?”

Xu Ge gleefully replied, “There’s no need for us to plunder. You see those Nightmare Knights? Their leader is none other than the Ji Lengxing from the Ji Clan’s main lineage. He seems to be Ji Lengyue’s little brother. They offered these martial arts manuals to us on their own accord.”

Tie Ma eyed Ji Lengxing in shock.

“Ah, I should also let you know I’ve reached Ki Manifestation,” Xu Ge added.

Tie Ma looked at Xu Ge and laughed. “I have also reached Ki Manifestation.”

“Impossible!” Xu Ge was stunned.

“My talent is above yours. I reached Ki Control earlier than you,” Tie Ma pointed out.

“Mister Zhao, may I pay a visit to Ji Lengyue?” Ji Lengxing suddenly walked up to Zhao Yan and respectfully asked.

“You’ll have to wait for the young master to return and ask for his permission,” Zhao Yan replied. A second later, he turned to the doorway and added, “The young master has returned.”

The crowd looked at the entrance, ready to bow to Fang Chen, when they were startled by the monster he was carrying.

“There’s no need to be afraid. He’s Liu Mu, the child who was supposed to be taken in by the South Heaven Sect,” Fang Chen said.

Liu Mu felt unconfident. He lowered his head and tensed up his muscles, trying his best to stop the tumors on his back from seeping out green poison.

“It’s him?!” Xu Ge blurted out in shock. “I thought he was brought to the South Heaven Sect. How did he end up like that?!”

Tie Ma had a grim look too. He knew something must have happened in between.

Zhao Yan wasn’t bothered by Liu Mu’s stench. He walked up to Liu Mu to examine his tumor, but the latter hurriedly backed away out of fear.

“AHHHH—”

Taken aback, Zhao Yan looked at Fang Chen.

“His body is being used as a breeding ground for lethal poison. You might lose your life if you come into contact with it. Only spirit ki can slow the corrosion of the poison,” Fang Chen said.

“What a pitiful child.” Zhao Yan sighed. “Young master, what kind of person would do this to a child? Is it the so-called South Heaven Sect’s doing?”

“It’s the doing of a malevolent cultivator, but it’s dubious how he fell into the hands of a malevolent cultivator when he should have been on his way to the South Heaven Sect. I plan to make a trip to the South Heaven Sect to investigate this,” Fang Chen said.

“Is there any way to remove his tumors?” Zhao Yan asked.

“Currently not.” Fang Chen shook his head.

The crowd sighed. There was nothing they could do if even Fang Chen was helpless.

“Take these martial arts manuals and follow me to the imperial palace,” Fang Chen eyed the boxes and ordered.

In Great Xia’s imperial palace, the young emperor, Xia Yuan, and his officials were gathered in the Palace of Great Peace.

Xia Yuan’s previous personal maid, Xiang Zhen, had become the first female official in the imperial palace, and Fang Chen permitted her to remain by Xia Yuan’s side to serve him.

Xiang Zhen noticed Xia Yuan’s impatience and discreetly reminded him, “Your Majesty, you’re with your officials. You should display more maturity.”

“I know.” Xia Yuan nodded as he tried his best to look like an adult.

Just then, a eunuch loudly announced, “Xia Imperial Duke is here!”

The officials looked at the entrance. Li Guozhu looked slightly uncomfortable, but he quickly concealed it with his usual face.

Fang Chen walked into the hall and greeted Xia Yuan with a clasped fist, “Fang Chen pays respect to Your Majesty.”