Immortal of the Nine Realms

Chapter 326: A Competition of Techniques

Chapter 326: A Competition of Techniques

“Fang Hao, let’s not stir up trouble. After all, it was Elder Fang Ao's decision...” someone said nervously. As the person in charge of the third branch, Fang Ao held enough authority over its disciples.

“Are you all just going to back down like this? Are you really afraid of some wandering branch disciple who suddenly appeared out of nowhere?”

Fang Hao sneered. “My elder brother is at the 11th stage of the Qi Refining Realm. This courtyard is rich in spiritual energy, it has spiritual fields and spiritual springs. Many cultivators die vying for these types of resources. Are you all willing to let a mere side branch disciple occupy it to himself so easily?”

Everyone faltered, clearly unwilling.

They had been born into the Fang Family, and they were from the main branch, yet they never owned a decent cultivation cave dwelling like this one. How could they swallow the fact that a side branch disciple had come in and swooped such a nice spot for himself, overshadowing them?

Fang Hao's expression turned sly. “Moreover... I heard that this person is on good terms with Xia Ji,” Fang Hao said. “Xia Ji has been spreading rumors about Jue Wudi recently. I’m sure you’ve all heard about it, right? I remember Fang Lingxing was really angry because of this. Why don’t we teach this guy a lesson so we can help her vent her anger?”

Everyone exchanged glances and in the next moment, they nodded silently in agreement.

Fang Hao immediately knocked on the door.

Soon, Li Cang opened the door, and upon seeing several disciples of the third branch standing before him, his expression instantly turned polite and he greeted, “Welcome, everyone.”

“Li Cang?! Why are you here?” asked Fang Hao in surprise, his face turning grim.

“I am now a servant of Young Master Fang Chen,” replied Li Cang respectfully.

Everyone looked at one other in astonishment.

Although Li Cang was just a martial artist, he was a Royal Qi martial artist, someone of the third level of the Heaven Profound Stage, a Martial King.

A Martial King could even pose a threat to Qi Refining Realm cultivators in certain ways. Li Cang had been directly under Fang Ao's command. Even if someone requested to have him as their servant, Fang Ao would refuse.

But now, Fang Ao had actually assigned Li Cang to serve a disciple from a side branch who had just returned to the family?!

Everyone was perplexed.

Could that Fang Chen be Fang Ao’s illegitimate child?

Fang Hao broke the silence, his voice deep. "If Fang Chen is here, let me meet him. I wish to speak to him.”

Li Cang apologetically answered, “Young Master Fang Chen has been in seclusion for the past half a month and hasn't come out since.”

Fang Hao frowned and demanded, “For half a month? Please inform him to come out now.”

Li Cang was about to refuse, but it seemed that Fang Hao suddenly had a different idea, as he quickly said. “Forget it, we'll go in by ourselves.”

Li Cang circled past Li Cang and led the others straight into the cave dwelling.

Feeling that something strange was going on, Li Cang flashed swiftly to block their paths. He forced a smile and said, “Everyone, please don't put me in a difficult spot.”

If he couldn’t even stop these few people from barging right inside, what face would he have left to remain here?

Fang Hao sneered. “How dare you stop us, Li Cang. We are the masters, and you are just a servant. Don’t think you can disrespect us just because you're at the third level of the Heaven Profound Stage.”

“If you don't step aside now, don't blame me for being ruthless.”

Li Cang's expression changed. Gritting his teeth, he bowed low, urging, “Please, don't make things difficult for me.”

The atmosphere turned silent and tense.

Most of those with Fang Hao were only at the fifth and sixth stages of the Qi Refining Realm, which wouldn’t be enough for them to match Li Cang at all unless they had a special talisman up their sleeve or an advanced technique they knew. Even Fang Hao was just in the eighth stage, which was only considered among the middle level of the younger generation of the family. To reach the upper level, the criteria was that one had to at least reach the tenth stage.

“You’re seeking death,” hollored Fang Hao as the surrounding spiritual energy surged. The next second, two stone hands sprouted from the ground and grasped Li Cang's ankles tightly.

Controlling the earth element!

Li Cang took a breath, and with a sudden burst of strength, he shattered the two stone hands into pieces before bowing once more, his tone pleading, “Please. Stop making things difficult for me.”

Seeing how he had been easily countered by Li Cang, Fang Hao's face darkened, and he felt embarrassed. Just as he was about to strike again, he spotted a young man approaching.

Fang Hao's face twitched slightly as he scrutinized Fang Chen from head to toe. “You must be Fang Chen?”

Li Cang was very relieved when he saw that Fang Chen was here, and he walked up to him respectfully and whispered into his ears, “Young Master Fang Chen, this is Young Master Fang Hao. His elder brother is the senior disciple of Elder Fang Ao.”

“You did well.” Fang Chen nodded. “Here, take this spirit stone,” he said, tossing a spirit stone to Li Cang.

Li Cang was first stunned, then pleasantly surprised.

A spirit stone!

Martial artists needed various spiritual herbs to enhance their martial cultivation, but these herbs needed spirit stones to buy, not gold and silver.

A Martial King like Li Cang’s annual expenditure of spirit stones was about seven or eight pieces. This one piece of low-grade spirit stone was equivalent to what he needed for one and a half months of cultivation. He could use it to buy many pills and herbs for his martial cultivation!

Li Cang pocketed the spirit stones carefully as he said, “Thank you, Young Master Fang Chen!”

‘He’s quite generous,’ thought Fang Hao’s company in unison, their eyes sparkling.

Fang Chen walked up to them before halting his steps. Glancing at Fang Hao and his company, he asked, “What brings all of you here?”

"You can't live in this courtyard,” said Fang Hao sternly. “I hope you'll inform Elder Fang Ao and move out of there as soon as possible."

Fang Chen was surprised. “Is this courtyard yours?”

Fang Hao was taken aback. “No.”

“If it's not yours, why can't I live here?” asked Fang Chen.

Fang Hao sneered. “In the vast Fang Family, only a handful of disciples can live in such a courtyard. It's reserved for the top, the rank one disciples. Now tell me, do you think you're qualified to live here? When I heard that a descendant of a side branch has come to the family and was assigned to live here, it just didn’t sit well with me to have someone like that live here. Heed my advice, because if you continue to stay here, trouble will come knocking constantly. Don’t you want to have time for your cultivation?”

The threat was very evident in his words.

Li Cang's expression changed slightly. He had already guessed that there would be trouble coming soon because of the courtyard, but he didn’t expect it to arrive so soon.

“What if I insist on staying?”

“Tomorrow, everyone will be competing on their techniques. So, if you insist on staying here, then we’ll leave it to our skills to determine how this’ll end tomorrow. The family has its fatalities too, every year. You’d better think it through,” warned Fang Hao.

Fang Chen asked again, “So?”

So?!

Fang Hao was driven mad. He had spoken so clearly, yet this Fang Chen was still acting dumb! Indeed, birds die for food, and people die for wealth!

“All third branch disciples will be required to participate in tomorrow's competition, and you are no exception. I hope to get your answer tomorrow," said Fang Hao before turning to leave.

After they left, Li Cang said with concern, “Young Master Fang Chen, you should be careful tomorrow.”

Fang Chen casually asked, “What’s this competition he’s talking about? I'm new here so I don’t know many things. Can you please enlighten me?”