Chapter 90: The Mysterious Yin-Yang Dark Art, and the Appearance of Immortal Fate

After Fang Wang’s inquiry, Zhou Xue did not open her eyes. She answered calmly, “I simply do not want them making a fuss. Even if I said I would never marry, they likely still would not feel at ease. Better to settle the engagement first. In any case, you and I must both focus on cultivation, so this identity will not affect much. Of course, if you are concerned about that junior sister, you may refuse.”

Fang Wang thought for a moment and said, “I do not like trouble either. I do not want to marry or have children; I only want to cultivate. Then let us do this: we will set the engagement first and get through this for now.”

“Mm.”

Zhou Xue gave a quiet reply. Seeing that she did not wish to speak further, Fang Wang no longer disturbed her and turned to leave.

After leaving the cave dwelling, Fang Wang flew toward the peak of the third vein.

“Young Master, earlier Tu Caiyi said Zhou Xue was the Demon Lord’s disciple. How could a master obey a disciple’s arrangements? Could there be some trick?” Little Violet curled up in Fang Wang’s arms and asked through telepathy.

Fang Wang replied the same way, “Who knows? Just take it as though you never heard it.”

The Demon Lord?

Interesting.

On careful thought, the rise of the Golden Radiance Cult happened around the same time as his own cultivation journey.

And the Demon Lord happened to be a woman...

Why would a reborn person need to take a master?

Joining the Jade Abyss Sect had been for resources. But what, then, had joining the Golden Radiance Cult been for?

Moreover, Zhou Xue could command Cao Ran and Tu Caiyi, the two Guardian Heavenly Kings. That status was not as simple as being the Demon Lord’s disciple.

The Demon Lord had spared Lu Yuanjun for the sake of a magical artifact. But why had she spared Yang Yuanzi?

Fang Wang had already harbored a bold suspicion, but he did not ask it outright. Some things were best understood without being spoken. With the Golden Radiance Cult in existence, the Fang family could also be safer.

After all he had been through, Fang Wang trusted Zhou Xue. If one trusted no one at all, how pitiable that would be. It would mean one possessed no judgment of one’s own. And even if Zhou Xue did have some scheme in mind, there was no need to go to such lengths; she had many ways to control him in advance.

Of course, Fang Wang still had to remain cautious. He could trust others, but the person he must trust most was himself.

To cultivate diligently, to keep growing at one’s own pace, and always preserve hidden cards—this was the only confidence with which to face any crisis.

Soon, Fang Wang reached the summit of the third vein and landed before the Hall of Purified Mind, bowing low as he said, “Your disciple has come to pay respects to Master!”

Fortunately, the plaza beneath the hall had no disciples sweeping it, sparing him some trouble.

On this return, he could sense that the Jade Abyss Sect was still shrouded in grief. Every vein had become colder and more desolate than before.

The gates of the Hall of Purified Mind opened.

Fang Wang walked straight in. The moment he entered, he saw Yang Yuanzi seated in meditation. His face was pale, his lips dry, and he no longer possessed the spirited presence of former days.

Seeing Fang Wang return, Yang Yuanzi smiled and said, “Disciple, you have finally returned. You have truly brought honor to your master!”

Seeing Fang Wang, Yang Yuanzi was genuinely happy.

He launched into praise of Fang Wang’s performance, and Fang Wang could only respond with modest humility.

After quite some time, Fang Wang finally found an opening to ask, “Master, you are injured?”

Yang Yuanzi nodded. “I was wounded by demonic cultivators. It is not fatal, so there is no need for you to worry. As for the calamity that befell the Jade Abyss Sect, do not take it to heart. From now on, cultivate in peace. With your aptitude, reaching the Spirit-Concentrating Realm will not be difficult. Once you enter that realm, the cultivation world of Great Qi will be yours to command, and there will be no need for restraint.”

His tone was weary, and his smile had grown strained.

Fang Wang saw that he was deliberately concealing the matter of Lu Yuanjun, and knew that he wanted to preserve Lu Yuanjun’s life.

Once the ghost artifact appeared, the deeds Lu Yuanjun had carried out could no longer remain hidden. Yang Yuanzi might even know that Lu Yuanjun’s subordinates had nearly slaughtered Fang Wang’s entire clan.

Having understood this, Fang Wang naturally felt uneasy, but Yang Yuanzi was his master, and he could not bring himself to blame him.

The master and disciple continued speaking. Most of it was Yang Yuanzi instructing him, teaching him how to become the Jade Abyss Sect’s chief disciple. Yet the atmosphere was no longer as warm as before.

“By the way, Master, regarding the matter of Great Qi transforming into a cultivation dynasty, how much do you know? How is it meant to succeed? Must the common people be sent to mine the spirit veins?” Fang Wang asked.

He had not forgotten his grandfather’s matter.

Yang Yuanzi answered, “I know only a little. The Great Qi Dynasty has indeed conscripted the people to help excavate the spirit veins, while the nine great sects are arranging formations. This will take many years. Once it succeeds, the land of Great Qi will see a surge in spiritual energy, and the number of cultivators will certainly multiply many times over. Spirit-Concentrating Realm may no longer be the summit of the Great Qi cultivation world.”

He paused, then said with grave sincerity, “The process is long and arduous, involving all strata of society in a complicated way. There will always be a darker side. It is worth suffering for one generation if it brings prosperity for a thousand generations.”

Those words sounded harsh to Fang Wang.

At first glance, they made sense. Yet the common people of this generation live only once. As for so-called reincarnation, that is already another person.

Fang Wang was also a cultivator; he had no right to condemn Yang Yuanzi, and even less authority to shake this matter itself.

“Go back and cultivate. As for the sect master, you need not visit him. His injuries are worse than mine, and who knows how many years he can still hold on.”

With a sweep of his sleeve, Yang Yuanzi spoke, then closed his eyes and continued nursing his wounds.

Fang Wang raised his hand in salute, then turned and departed.

A few breaths later, the doors of the Hall of Purified Mind closed once more.

Yang Yuanzi frowned slightly and hurriedly circulated his power with both hands. Behind him, his shadow unexpectedly split into another figure, as though a ferocious ghost were struggling to break free, its shape hideous and terrifying.

...

Before returning to his cave dwelling, Fang Wang first went to find Fang Hanyu. Coincidentally, Fang Hanyu was in his own dwelling as well, likewise injured and recuperating. Fang Wang told him the information he had gathered and asked him to write to their grandfather when he had time.

Fang Hanyu agreed at once, then reminded him to go out less in the near future.

Fang Wang had become far too prominent, and Fang Hanyu feared that he might suffer an even more terrifying encirclement and assault.

Fang Wang accepted the advice and then rose to return to his own dwelling.

Once inside, Fang Wang finally let out a long breath.

“At last, I am back.”

He sighed. Since learning the sword intent of heaven and earth until today, everything he had experienced had been more wondrous than anything in his past life, yet it had also left him weary.

Next, he intended to cultivate in earnest and strive to reach the Spirit-Concentrating Realm as soon as possible, then condense a fourth natal spirit treasure.

Tu Caiyi and the demonic cultivators of Green Cicada Valley had witnessed his Nine Dragons Divine Transformation Art. He urgently needed greater strength so that he could truly settle his heart.

After breaking through to the Spirit-Concentrating Realm, Fang Wang would go in search of the True Art of the Heavenly Might Sacred Body.

To obtain the True Art of the Heavenly Might Sacred Body, one first had to master the Nine Dragons Divine Transformation Art. This meant the True Art of the Heavenly Might Sacred Body was of a higher grade than the Nine Dragons Divine Transformation Art, which was why Fang Wang had still long kept it in mind after all these years.

Fang Wang tossed all the storage pouches at his waist onto the table, then removed his clothes and walked toward the small pool, preparing to take a bath. Though Little Violet’s water techniques had already cleaned him from head to toe, without bathing he still felt something was missing.

Little Violet lay atop the white jade great bed, watching Fang Wang and flicking her tongue, as though thinking about something.

...

The news that Fang Wang had cut a bloody path through Green Cicada Valley spread across the Great Qi cultivation world. The Jade Abyss Sect, which had just suffered a demonic invasion, thus became famous far and wide. It was equivalent to driving back the entire demonic path with the strength of one sect!

Though the Jade Abyss Sect had suffered heavy losses, it gained even greater prestige. More and more cultivation clans came to visit, either bringing resources or presenting clan descendants.

In just one year, the Jade Abyss Sect had replenished the number of disciples it lost. Even the great righteous sects began sending envoys to pay visits, hoping to establish better relations.

Spring gave way to autumn.

Three years passed in the blink of an eye.

Fang Wang’s name continued to circulate through the Great Qi cultivation world. He had already become the foremost genius admired by the younger generation, and he had completely inherited the title of Sword Saint. The cultivators of the older generation no longer dared to slight him. During sermons and teachings, the great sects would all mention him, claiming that Great Qi’s cultivation world would undergo unprecedented change because of Fang Wang.

Gradually, Fang Wang’s renown began to spread into the cultivation worlds of the neighboring dynasties.

Around Great Qi lay Wei, Chu, Hong, Zhao, Han, and the Northern Frontier—seven dynasties locked in endless strife, invading one another for more than a thousand years. From the perspective of the cultivation world, one could see that the size of each dynasty’s territory was tied to the struggles of each dynasty’s cultivation world.

One day.

A voice came from outside the cave dwelling:

“Fang Wang, are you there? I’ve brought someone. He wants to meet you.”

Fang Wang opened his eyes and sent out his divine sense. After pondering for a moment, he remembered the person’s identity.

Fang Zijeng!

One of his cousins within the Jade Abyss Sect.

Beside Fang Zijeng stood a young man clad in the disciple robes of the Jade Abyss Sect. Fang Wang did not recognize him at all.

“Come in,” Fang Wang said, then activated the mountain gate mechanism through spiritual power from afar.

The mountain gate opened.

Fang Zijeng and the young man stepped inside, while Little Violet slipped behind Fang Wang to hide.

The two came before Fang Wang. The young man was the first to cup his fists and bow. “I am Zhao Qi. I pay my respects to the Sword Saint!”

Fang Wang narrowed his eyes. “You are surnamed Zhao?”

Upon closer inspection, Zhao Qi bore some resemblance to the Great Qi sovereign, Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Qi suddenly lifted the hem of his robes and knelt before Fang Wang. He took a jade slip from his storage pouch, raised it overhead, and gritted his teeth as he said, “This is one of the three supreme arts of the Divine Dominion Sect, the Yin-Yang Mysterious Nether True Art. Before his death, Zhao Zhen ordered me to hand it over to you as atonement!”

Fang Wang looked at Fang Zijeng, and Fang Zijeng nodded. “His father was born to the previous emperor and a palace maid. He was cast into the common world while still young. Strictly speaking, his father was Zhao Zhen’s elder brother. Shortly after giving birth to him, his parents were killed, and only he survived. He was raised by villagers. It was not until seven years ago that a mysterious man delivered a bundle to Zhao Qi, letting him learn the truth. The Yin-Yang Mysterious Nether True Art was in that bundle.”

At those words, Fang Wang turned back to Zhao Qi.

Zhao Qi clenched his teeth. “Zhao Zhen killed my parents so that he could have no lingering regrets, but in the end he left me alive because he feared being plotted against by Lu Yuanjun. So he preserved the last trace of bloodline in the Great Qi imperial house. Zhao Zhen told me that if he did not come to find me within five years, it would prove he was dead, and he ordered me to find you and hand the Yin-Yang Mysterious Nether True Art over to you!”

“He told me everything. He wanted to pursue the path of immortality, but the cultivation sects did not wish to see an emperor who could live forever. Then Lu Yuanjun happened to find him and wanted to slaughter the common people to nourish his ghost artifact. For the sake of cultivation, Zhao Zhen included into the domain some of the cities belonging to the noble houses he believed to be threats, allowing Lu Yuanjun’s people to seize their souls, and then he made it all appear to be a struggle for power.”

“Zhao Zhen deserved death, and I hate him too, but he is dead now. The Great Qi dynasty is in turmoil, and the people are living in misery. I could only come to you. Zhao Zhen said that the upper ranks of the Jade Abyss Sect all sided with Lu Yuanjun. If I wanted to oppose Lu Yuanjun, I could only come to you!”

“This Yin-Yang Mysterious Nether True Art is genuine. It was taught to him by Lu Yuanjun. The Yin-Yang Mysterious Nether True Art that Lu Yuanjun originally intended to pass on to you was only half of the complete work. Relying on half alone, it could not possibly be mastered. But the technique within this jade slip is complete, containing both yin and yang! Moreover, Lu Yuanjun once said that if one gathered the three supreme arts of the Divine Dominion Sect, one might obtain an immortal chance!”