Immortal of the Nine Realms-Chapter 986: Setting Sail

The crowd's gaze swept over Fang Chen before finally settling on Bai Qingming.

It was clear that they were more wary of Bai Qingming.

No matter how formidable Fang Chen's methods were, some of them didn't need to pay him much heed. The gap in their cultivation levels was too vast to be comparable.

Bai Qingming, however, was a different matter. As a Dao Union Realm sword cultivator, he was among the top of the younger generation.

If eight hundred years was considered a cutoff, then, so far, no young prodigy under eight hundred years had managed to ascend to the Tribulation Realm.

However, a small group of people who had a chance of achieving that, and Bai Qingming was one of them.

Wang Zhenlong clasped his fist. "Ancestor Li, I leave these two youngsters in your hands."

Li Changsheng glanced at Fang Chen and Bai Qingming before nodding with a smile. "If all goes well, they should be able to return within three to five years."

Wang Zhenlong cautioned, "Kid, listen to your senior brother on the journey. Prison Wind Lands is nothing like here. Over there, aside from Li Changsheng, you have no one to rely on. He is a sword cultivator who was willing to become a live-in son-in-law for benefits. Don't expect him to stick his neck out for you. You'll have to rely on yourself."

With that, Wang Zhenlong drifted away.

Li Changsheng said, "Please, take your seats."

Dongfang Haojie quickly waved his hand. "Brother Fang Chen, over here!"

Fang Chen was startled to see Dongfang Haojie here. "Huh?"

Before he could ask, Dongfang Haojie, who had just sat down, began to explain.

...

Hearing Dongfang Haojie's explanation, Fang Chen was hit with realization. "No wonder the aura on that Long Xuan felt vaguely familiar. So the Long family is the Dragon Bloodline Family."

At that moment, Li Changsheng's voice sounded. "You are all prodigies from this realm. Some are sword cultivators from Celestial Heaven, some from Northern Dipper, and others from the Central Continent."

Everyone turned their attention to Li Changsheng, their expressions slightly solemn.

"In this realm, cultivators hold sword cultivators in high esteem and harbor reverence for them. But over there, the situation for sword cultivators couldn't be any more different."

Li Changsheng continued indifferently, "Once you arrive there, you must learn to endure. The main purpose of this journey is the Sword Burial Heavenly Step. If you can achieve outstanding results there, benefits will naturally come your way. But if you fail, chaos will arise—whether Celestial Heaven, Northern Dipper, or even the Central Continent."

A cold-faced woman stood up and clasped her fist. "Ancestor Li, our cultivation levels vary. May I ask what exactly will be tested in this Sword Burial Heavenly Step?"

Smiling, Li Changsheng answered, "On the Sword Burial Heavenly Step, no matter how high your cultivation, once you step onto it, you will become an ordinary mortal. What you will be competing in is your sword intent and your sword heart."

"Become mortals?"

The crowd pondered, a few furrowing their brows as if they had long forgotten what it was like to be a mortal.

"Everyone, there is no turning back on this journey. I hope you are all prepared," said Li Changsheng lightly before walking out of the hall.

The group exchanged glances and followed him out.

A figure slowly approached Fang Chen and Bai Qingming. Without saying a word, he gave them a faint glance before walking out of the hall.

Bai Qingming said, "You need to be careful with him. He suffered a bit of a loss in those immortal ruins, and he probably holds a grudge against me now."

That person was none other than Yan Kun, the Sword Leader of the Kunlun Sword Sect. Fang Chen had met him once before in Yong'an City.

Dongfang Hao Jie followed closely behind Fang Chen. "Brother Fang Chen, how confident are you about this journey to the Sword Burial Heavenly Step?"

Among this group, everyone was a master, and he was just a small Golden Core Realm cultivator. He was very anxious.

Fang Chen shook his head. "Not very confident."

Dongfang Hao Jie's face instantly turned pale. He gulped and asked, "Say... if I begged Ancestor Li now, would he let me go back?"

Fang Chen wore a smile. "You'd probably only leave lying down."

Dongfang Hao Jie gritted his teeth, his gaze firming up. "Forget it. Life and death are fated, and wealth is determined by heaven. Since Ancestor Li is willing to take me along, it means my identity as a descendant of the Dragon Bloodline Family is still quite valuable."

Li Changsheng had already prepared an Immortal Boat. As everyone boarded, he waved his sleeve, and a vast surge of spiritual energy swept out, lifting the boat and transforming it into a streak of lightning that vanished into the horizon.

The sword cultivators from Celestial Heaven and Northern Dipper seemed quite familiar with each other. They gathered together, chatting about something. Their attitude toward Yan Kun was particularly respectful. Whenever Yan Kun spoke, the others would immediately fall silent.

"I'm going to get some sleep. Wake me when we arrive," said Bai Qingming, waving at Fang Chen and Dongfang Hao Jie before turning to leave.

"Brother Fang Chen, I just heard Ancestor Li say that the situation for sword cultivators in Prison Wind Lands is completely different from here. Isn't that a bit strange?" Dongfang Hao Jie whispered. "The offensive power of sword cultivators is undeniable. How could they be looked down upon?"

Fang Chen replied, "Have you forgotten? The lifespan of a sword cultivator is only half of yours. So, how many of them can become Immortal Kings with their short lifespan, let alone become a First Rate Sect Leader? Even the old sword immortal of the Void Immortal Sword Sect hadn't managed to do it."

Dongfang Haojie was slightly stunned. After thinking it over carefully, he understood.

As Dongfang Haojie and Fang Chen were chatting, a young man walked up to Fang Chen with a smile. "Sword Leader Fang, I heard you're currently at the Enlightenment Realm? I hope you advance to the Soul Splitting Realm. When that day comes, we can have a proper sword duel."

The nearby sword cultivator immediately stopped talking and turned to watch.

Fang Chen glanced at the young man and smiled. "You are?"

The young man replied, "Bai Lingyue, from the Heavenly Secrets Sword Sect."

"Oh, the Heavenly Secrets Sword Sect...."

Fang Chen knew that this was a Sword Sect from Northern Dipper. It was the fifth sword sect he had visited during his sword questioning in Northern Dipper.

At that time, the Heavenly Secrets Sword Sect had lost three disciples and immediately conceded, shutting themselves from the world for ten years.

Back then, he hadn't seen this Bai Lingyue, so he couldn't help but ask curiously, "Why didn't I see you back then?"

Bai Lingyue calmly replied, "At that time, I was at a critical moment in my breakthrough to the Soul Splitting Realm and couldn't come out to fight. If it weren't for that, you might not have had such an easy time."

Fang Chen nodded in understanding. "I see."

After scrutinizing Fang Chen for a moment, Bai Lingyue turned and walked over to where Yan Kun and the others were.

Dongfang Hao Jie chuckled. "Brother Fang Chen, it seems they're quite dissatisfied with you and are trying to isolate you and Senior Brother Bai."

"Let's not talk about that. I suspect Ancestor Li has another motive for bringing you there," Fang Chen said. "If I'm right, you might have a bright future ahead. Don't forget us poor folks here when that time comes."

Dongfang Hao Jie was puzzled. "What motive?"

"You'll find out when the time comes," replied Fang Chen, patting his shoulder. "I'm going to rest. Wake me when we arrive."

Dongfang Hao Jie stood alone on the deck, deep in thought, but he couldn't figure out what Fang Chen meant.

More than ten days later, the Immortal Boat ventured deep into the Immortal Demon Sea and finally stopped above a desolate island.

Everyone looked down and could vaguely see a grand teleportation array at the center of the island.

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