The Strength of an Immortal Cultivator

Thud!

Watching the masked man who had driven him into despair collapse to the ground, Fang Hanyu's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.

What speed!

What kind of movement technique was that?

Fang Hanyu was, at the very least, a first-rate expert. Even watching from behind, he had failed to make out Fang Wang's footwork. It was simply too fast—and his sword was even faster.

He had killed a supreme expert the moment he made his move!

Fang Hanyu suddenly began doubting himself. Was he too weak, or was Fang Wang too strong?

Could it be that he was not merely at the first-rate level?

Fang Wang turned around and wiped his blade against the masked man's body. Only after the bloodstains had been wiped clean did he sheath his sword.

He raised his eyes toward Fang Hanyu and said, "If you can still fight, go kill the enemy. Other than those supreme experts, you're still very strong."

With that, Fang Wang turned and left. Using Shadowless Steps, he swept over the courtyard wall and vanished into the night.

Fang Hanyu took a deep breath, tightened his grip on his sword, and headed in another direction.

Fang Manor was in chaos—utter chaos!

Thousands of servants hunted down the mysterious men in black everywhere. Every one of those men possessed martial arts; even the weakest could fight dozens of servants alone, not to mention the enormous threat posed by the supreme experts.

Boom—

Fang Wang's eldest uncle, Fang Shi, struck palms against a man in black. The two competed with True Qi, their robes billowing wildly as though about to burst apart. The stone slabs beneath their feet shattered, flowers and grass were swept into the air, and even an old tree ten paces away trembled from the force.

"Supreme Yang Palm Fang Shi, your reputation is indeed well deserved. One foot has already crossed into the realm of supreme experts. If you were not the Fang Family's eldest son, your martial attainments would be even greater. What a pity!"

The black-clad man exchanging palms with Fang Shi sneered. He too wore a mask—a white opera mask painted with a treacherous, ferocious grin, making him look like a demon or ghost in the dead of night.

Fang Shi had reached the prime of his life. His palms resembled scorching branding irons. As their True Qi collided, his hands glowed red-hot, making the air around them seem to ripple faintly.

"A dignified supreme expert, yet you hide your face, without a martial artist's courage. If I am a pity, then you are a joke!"

Fang Shi snorted coldly. With a forceful surge of both arms, powerful True Qi exploded outward, sending both men retreating.

Fang Shi stumbled back eight steps, while his opponent took only five. The difference in strength was clear!

The sight made Fang Shi's heart tighten further. As the strongest martial artist in Fang Manor, if he could not even defeat the man before him, Fang Manor might truly face the danger of extermination!

Earlier, he had spotted several figures with incredibly swift movement techniques. They were very likely supreme experts as well.

To mobilize so many supreme experts against Fang Manor...

Fang Shi's expression grew increasingly grim. His palms shifted through techniques as True Qi surged forth, radiating scorching heat that stood out especially brightly beneath the night sky.

The black-clad man opposite him held no weapon. Instead, he lifted his right leg, every muscle in his body tensing, giving off a terrifying sense of a drawn bow ready to release.

The two exchanged a glance, then fiercely charged at each other.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

The two fought at close range. Fang Shi used his palms, his palm techniques fierce and overbearing, carrying the momentum of one force crushing ten skills. The black-clad man's legwork was agile, his legs like steel whips. Against Fang Shi's attacks, he countered every move with his legs—swift as wind, fierce as thunder. Sand and stones rose through the courtyard as streams of force scattered wildly, ravaging the grounds.

The servants outside the courtyard stared at them in terror. They wanted to assist Fang Shi, yet could not find an opening to enter the battle.

Hundreds of people surrounded the courtyard, with some even standing atop the walls. They nocked arrows and drew their bows, but their eyes could not keep up with the black-clad man's movement technique.

There were many such battles throughout Fang Manor: in courtyards, corridors, gardens, and even atop rooftops.

Although Fang Manor did not have many martial arts masters, it had no shortage of martial-trained descendants and servants. After all, Fang Meng had earned the Duke's prestige by fighting his way out of the battlefield. He was one of the Ten Great Generals who had founded the Great Qi Dynasty, and at the height of his authority, he could even command all three armies alone. Though Fang Meng had surrendered military power, the competitive spirit carved into his bones still endured within Fang Manor.

Other than Fang Shi, the men in black held the upper hand in every battle. These assassins were all highly skilled; even when outnumbered, they remained at ease. Every moment, someone in Fang Manor died.

Killing intent and terror shrouded Fang Manor!

Though Fang Wang possessed the power of a martial legend, he was ultimately only a powerful mortal. He could not create duplicates of himself. As he sped onward, more and more men in black died at his hands.

This scene was witnessed by someone standing atop the tallest building in Fang Manor—a tower that housed every book collected by Fang Manor. He stood at its peak, hidden in the night.

It was the Daoist in Green.

"Not bad martial arts. Among martial artists, he can be considered truly supreme. If I had not come, perhaps the Prime Minister's scheme would have fallen through."

The Daoist in Green's lips curled upward, his face revealing disdain.

Martial artists were mortals in the end. No matter how strong they were, they could never be his match!

What he cultivated was immortality!

The Daoist in Green raised his left hand. A yellow talisman flew from his sleeve and hovered above his palm. The talisman burst forth with light, illuminating his face.

At that moment, the Daoist in Green's gaze shifted toward a certain place. Following his eyes, one could see a girl in red standing atop an old tree, staring at him from afar.

Zhou Xue!

As Zhou Xue looked at the Daoist in Green, her gaze was icy beyond measure, carrying chilling killing intent.

It's him. I really have been reborn!

Zhou Xue thought this to herself. Over the past seven days, she had constantly felt that everything was unreal, fearing it was a dream or an illusion. Only today, upon seeing that figure buried deep in her memories—the one who had brought her despair—did she finally feel that she had truly been reborn.

Hatred!

Killing intent!

And a trace of excitement!

Sensing Zhou Xue's gaze, the Daoist in Green could not help frowning.

For some reason, Zhou Xue made him feel extremely threatened. His first instinct was that she too was an immortal cultivator, but after examining her closely, he found no aura of an immortal cultivator or magical artifact upon her.

The Daoist in Green immediately leaped into the air. Like a soaring eagle, he cut across the night sky and charged toward Zhou Xue.

Zhou Xue instantly leaped down from the tree and vanished into the darkness. To the Daoist in Green, the boundless night was as bright as day, and he rapidly closed in on her.

The Daoist in Green tapped off the courtyard wall with his toes, light as a swallow. Before he had even landed, he swung the whisk in his right hand toward Zhou Xue. Almost instantly, Zhou Xue suddenly turned and threw five darts. The five darts traced five separate arcs as they flew toward the Daoist in Green.

The Daoist in Green raised his brows, and the killing intent in his eyes intensified.

A figure smashed through the courtyard wall, sending shattered stones flying. He collapsed onto the stone path like a heap of mud, his limbs twisted at unnatural angles in a gruesome sight.

Fang Wang withdrew his right leg, which had been suspended in midair, and looked at the corpse ahead with an icy expression.

Tonight was his first time killing someone, yet he felt no discomfort. He had seen many people of Fang Manor die miserably, some of them even his clansmen. Hatred had already taken command of his mind.

He had already slain thirty-seven men in black. The weakest among them had been second-rate experts, and three had even been supreme experts.

Many clansmen and servants had witnessed his performance. Yet Fang Manor remained in peril, and no one had time to marvel at his strength. His eyes, too, held only one thing: killing the enemy.

He leaped toward the main hall of the manor. His parents were both inside, and he had fought his way toward the hall all along, afraid that something might happen to them.

With the power of a martial legend, Fang Wang could kill every black-clad man along his path without using True Qi. He had continued conserving his True Qi, ending his enemies' lives with the most ruthless techniques.

Before long.

Fang Wang fought his way to the area surrounding the main hall. There were no fewer than five hundred servants here, sealing off the entire courtyard so tightly that not even water could pass through. More than a dozen black-clad corpses already lay here.

Fang Wang arrived covered in dust from the road, yet his white robes remained unstained by blood. The servants all recognized him and hurriedly made way.

When he reached the front of the hall and saw that his parents were still safe, Fang Wang breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wang'er, come here quickly! It's dangerous outside!"

The moment Fang Wang's mother, Madam Jiang, saw him, she hurriedly waved and called out.

Seeing that his son was unharmed, Fang Yin could not help but sigh in relief. He was about to speak when an enormous roar suddenly came from the west, making everyone turn their heads.

Fang Wang turned as well. A burst of golden light shone across his face, and his pupils widened.

Even he reacted like this, much less everyone else. All of them stood dumbfounded, as though they had seen a living ghost.

To the west, dazzling golden light rose from among the buildings. A figure hovered within that light, holding it high overhead with the bright moon behind his back. With Fang Wang's exceptional eyesight, he could clearly see the person's true form.

It was a Daoist in Green, standing on one foot atop a wooden sword. He held a whisk in his right hand and raised his left hand above his head. Resting upon his palm was a yellow talisman that continuously erupted with dazzling golden light.

"What is that?"

"How is that possible? How can a person stand in the air?"

"It's a ghost! A ghost has come to destroy Fang Manor!"

"It must be a trick! Even a supreme martial arts expert cannot stand in midair!"

"If it's a trick, then why are there so many experts attacking Fang Manor tonight?"

The people of Fang Manor around them cried out in shock. An indescribable panic spread through the crowd. Even the servants holding weapons were terrified; some had already fallen to their knees and kowtowed, muttering prayers.

Fang Wang immediately stepped forward, hurrying in the Daoist in Green's direction. Madam Jiang saw this.

"Wang'er, what are you going to do?"

Madam Jiang shouted, drawing many people's attention toward Fang Wang. Without looking back, Fang Wang merely raised the sword in his hand. Then he leaped up like a great roc spreading its wings, soaring several zhang high before landing on a distant rooftop. He dashed away, leaving many members of the Fang Family staring wide-eyed.

Third Young Master Fang Jin said in astonishment, "Fifth Brother, Wang'er's lightness skill is incredible. Even Eldest Brother cannot leap that high in one go."

Fang Yin was stunned. As he watched Fang Wang's departing figure, he could not regain his senses for a long while.

Meanwhile, the family head Fang Meng, who was being supported by others, stared fixedly at the Daoist in Green. Fang Wang had not drawn his attention at all. For the first time, his expression was so grim. Slowly, he uttered three words that only he could hear:

"An immortal cultivator!"

Within the ruined courtyard, Zhou Xue, her hair slightly disheveled, looked up at the Daoist in Green high above. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. Her left arm was clearly dislocated, hanging limply at her side.

"Little girl, what domineering poison. This is definitely not something a mortal can refine. Which sect are you from? Could you be from Green Cicada Valley?" The Daoist in Green looked down on Zhou Xue from above and asked coldly.

Zhou Xue furrowed her delicate brows and said icily, "What other treasures are you hiding on your body?"

At those words, savagery flashed through the Daoist in Green's eyes. His killing intent became impossible to restrain. He snorted coldly. "So you refuse to speak? Fine, then die!"

He abruptly aimed the yellow talisman in his hand at Zhou Xue. Countless golden rays burst from the talisman like a torrential downpour, shooting toward her. Zhou Xue immediately leaped aside, but the golden rays were even faster.

Damn it. I never expected this mere Qi Nurturing Realm cultivator to possess two magical artifacts. No wonder I could never trace his whereabouts back then. So he had a powerful background!

Zhou Xue thought anxiously, filled with unwillingness. Did she have no choice but to use that move?

Just as she was about to be struck, an arm hooked around her shoulder. A tremendous force then pulled her away from the golden rays. Golden streak after golden streak struck the ground, piercing through courtyard walls, stone slabs, and tree trunks with terrifying sharpness.

Zhou Xue turned her head and happened to see Fang Wang's handsome profile, still carrying a trace of youthful innocence.