Immortal of the Nine Realms

Chapter 260: Movements In the Shadows

Spirit Heaven City’s Three Great Cultivator Clans were the Ye Clan, the Xu Clan, and the Zhou Clan. Their patriarchs were twelfth stage Ki Refinement cultivators, and they were considered top-notch experts second only to the Spirit Heaven City Lord in this city.

Yet, the three patriarchs rushed out to welcome the Qing Province Sword Sect Master. This hinted at his high standing in the Qing Province.

“The rumors that Spirit Heaven City’s Three Great Cultivator Clans are on good terms with the Qing Province Sword Sect must have been true.”

“It looks like those three clans were nurtured by the Qing Province Sword Sect.”

The crowd discussed telepathically.

Long Tianxing eyed the three patriarchs and slowly nodded. “I’ve troubled you to make the trip down here.”

“Not at all, not at all,” the Ye Clan’s patriarch replied fawningly. “Elder Long, do you have any accommodations here? If not, why don’t you come to our Ye Clan…”

Before he could finish his words, the Xu Clan’s and the Zhou Clan’s patriarchs interjected too to invite Long Tianxing to stay in their respective manors.

Watching the Ye Clan’s patriarch fawn on Long Tianxing, Ye Wenxiu couldn’t help but slowly clench his fists. If I was as strong as Long Tianxing, that Flooding Dragon Island Master wouldn’t dare to steal the woman I love!

It was just a pity that even reaching Foundation Establishment was distant for him, let alone mid Foundation Establishment.

Long Tianxing eyed the three of them before turning his attention to the Ye Clan’s patriarch. “Make some arrangements. We’ll be participating in the auctioning of the Spirit Heaven Clan’s location.”

The crowd was surprised. They hadn’t expected that Long Tianxing was really here to participate in the auction.

With Long Tianxing’s arrival, the many parties who had come to the Spirit Heaven City began making their moves. Those who were competing for the Spirit Heaven Sect’s location started reaching out to others to work together.

Many of them were unaffiliated cultivators who didn’t have a stable place to cultivate in.

In a courtyard…

“First Senior, even the Qing Province Sword Sect Master Long Tianxing is here. Can we really get back our sect location?” the third elder asked with a sigh.

The second elder glanced at him and laughed. “Third Junior, you can’t be thinking that Long Tianxing is really here for our Spirit Heaven Sect’s location. We are worth nothing compared to their Qing Province Sword Sect!”

“Indeed. The Qing Province Number One Swordsman must be here to avenge Yao Dan, which makes him an ally rather than an enemy,” the first elder said.

All of a sudden, he looked outside.

Tak tak tak.

There were knocks on the door.

The Spirit Heaven Sect’s cultivators turned to the first elder, and only upon the latter’s nod did someone step forward to open the door.

Outside the courtyard stood a nonchalant middle-aged man. He wore a gray robe, and he had a tall stature. Just his gaze on the Spirit Heaven Sect’s cultivator opening the door made the latter short on breath.

“Brother Xia, you’re finally here!” The first elder chuckled as he made his way over.

The second elder and the third elder exchanged looks before walking over too.

“Brother Lu, have you finally thought things through?” Xia Xuanji asked with a smile.

If Fang Chen was here, he would have recognized the person to be the previous Great Xia’s emperor. His appearance had changed a fair bit; his previous gloomy aura had been replaced with a domineering air.

“I have thought things through. Brother Xia, as long as you help our Spirit Heaven Sect through this crisis, we’ll be under your command from this day onward,” the first elder said.

The second elder and the third elder were shocked. Under your command? What’s going on?

The hot-headed third elder blurted out,” First Senior, what do you mean by that? Why would we be under his command?”

“I see you haven’t talked things out yet,” Xia Xuanji sneered before turning around to leave.

The first elder rushed forward to stop him before lecturing the third elder, saying, “Third Junior, Brother Xia’s sect is incredibly powerful. They can eradicate even the Sea Dragon Sect in the blink of an eye. It’ll only benefit our Spirit Heaven Sect to come under them! Would you rather watch as our Spirit Heaven Sect’s base is auctioned off, and we are reduced to laughingstocks in Infernoblaze?!”

“Third Junior, let’s leave this to our First Senior,” the second elder said.

The third elder eyed Xia Xuanji with skeptical eyes and asked, “What’s your sect?”

“You aren’t qualified to know,” Xia Xuanji coldly replied.

Before the third elder could say more, Xia Xuanji released a terrifying aura that instantaneously enveloped the third elder, causing the latter to sweat profusely. He felt like he might be killed on the spot if he dared utter another word.

The first elder quickly mediated between them before respectfully ushering Xia Xuanji into their courtyard.

“Juniors, Brother Xia is a cultivator prodigy. He was only at eighth stage Ki Refinement when I first met him, but he has already advanced to Foundation Establishment since!” the first elder said.

Foundation Establishment?

That evoked the respect of the Spirit Heaven Sect’s cultivators, and they exhaled in relief. They no longer felt as uneasy now that they had a Foundation Establishment cultivator to back them up.

“Brother Xia, our enemy is a sword cultivator… but we aren’t sure if he really is a sword cultivator. All we know is that his flying sword is terrifyingly powerful, and his physical body is nigh indestructible. He can catch my Third Junior’s flying sword and break it with his bare hands,” the first elder said.

“He’s either a physical enhancement cultivator or a sword cultivator.” Xia Xuanji narrowed his eyes. “What’s his cultivation?”

“He hasn’t reached Foundation Establishment yet,” the first elder said. “We can’t tell what stage of Ki Refinement he’s in. He appears to have an artifact that conceals his aura.”

“Sword cultivators boast the greatest offensive prowess of all cultivators. He might be at Ki Refinement, but even Foundation Establishment cultivators would have to tread carefully around him. What do you want me to do? Should I kill him now?” Xia Xuanji chuckled.

“Aren’t you afraid of the sword cultivators behind him getting even with you?” the third elder asked.

Xia Xuanji eyed the third elder before replying deeply, “Those behind me don’t fear ordinary sword cultivators.”

The third elder began to believe in Xia Xuanji upon seeing his confidence.

“I want to make a move tomorrow, when our base is being auctioned off. The other cultivators will be present, so it’d be the perfect opportunity to regain our honor. I want to show the Spirit Heaven City Lord and the Qing Province Sword Sect Master that our Spirit Heaven Sect is not to be made light of!” the first elder said.

Xia Xuanji nodded. “As you wish.”

“Thank you!” The first elder was excited.

On Spirit Heaven Mountain, Fang Chen sat with his eyes closed, his soul wandering in Spirit Heaven City.

He saw the Qing Province Sword Sect’s Long Tianxing being escorted into the Ye Clan.

He took a trip to the City Lord Manor and assessed the Flood Dragon Island Master up close.

The latter murmured under his breath, “Tomorrow is a good opportunity to intimidate Infernoblaze’s cultivators. We’ll show them the fate that befalls those who dare offend our Sea Dragon Clan.”

Fang Chen chuckled in response before leaving the City Lord Manor.

Next, he made his way to the Spirit Heaven Sect’s courtyard in the city, curious to see what other plans these people had. There, he saw Xia Xuanji.