Chapter 1369: Chaotic Battle

"You're not negotiating with me," Fang Chen said quietly. "You're negotiating with him."

As he put away the Bone Birth Azure Lotus, a figure appeared soundlessly behind him. It was Fang Tianzun.

Xiao Chenghe froze for a moment, completely unaware of when or how this person had arrived.

"And who might this be?" he asked, his face darkening slightly.

The fact that this stranger had been hiding all this time and only revealed himself now meant one thing—he definitely wasn't here with friendly intentions.

Fang Chen hadn't dismissed the others to negotiate. He had done it to let this man reveal himself!

But Xiao Chenghe didn't panic. He was at the Ascension Realm, and he refused to believe an early-stage Tribulation Realm like Fang Chen had the means to hire a first-transformation Immortal. At most, the newcomer would be another Tribulation Realm cultivator.

Did Fang Chen think adding another Tribulation Realm to his side would allow him to take on an Ascension Realm opponent?

How laughable.

Fang Tianzun didn't waste time with words. He simply lifted his hand slightly, and a surge of overwhelming immortal essence coiled forth like a celestial binding chain, instantly wrapping around Xiao Chenghe. The man didn't even have time to react before he was tightly bound and dragged before Fang Chen like a trussed-up beast.

Xiao Chenghe gasped, eyes snapping wide with disbelief. "Immortal essence!? A first-transformation Immortal!?"

So Fang Chen really had a first-transformation Immortal under his command! But why had he never seen that person before?

Fang Chen calmly removed Xiao Chenghe's storage ring, then retrieved the burning-hot jade token from his robes.

The token was made of a special translucent material, with faint crimson threads swirling within it.

At this moment, it radiated intense heat. There was no doubt that it was the very artifact Xiao Chenghe had used to detect the presence of an immortal herb.

"The person who crafted this must have infused it with something special," Fang Chen said evenly. "Likely information correlating immortal herbs with their corresponding immortal paths."

"That way, even if the holder doesn't recognize a herb by sight, the jade token can identify it as such. It lets people locate immortal herbs while still concealing details about rarer ones."

He smiled faintly. "So, how much merit did this little toy cost you?"

Xiao Chenghe drew a deep breath and forced a stiff smile. "If Fellow Daoist Fang likes it, please, take it. It only cost 100 merit points. It's not much at all."

"Listen to yourself," Fang Chen said with amusement. "Isn't it already mine? No need to pretend you're giving me a gift."

He shook his head with a faint smile and gestured to Fang Tianzun, who began refining the storage ring.

Finding only a few immortal crystals inside, Fang Chen waved dismissively, losing interest in his treasures.

"Kill him."

"Wait, I'm with Wang Xuan!"

"You said it yourself," Fang Chen interrupted coldly. "A few deaths in the Ancient Forbidden Zone mean nothing."

As the immortal essence constricted, Xiao Chenghe was crushed into powder.

Once it was done, Fang Tianzun dissolved into motes of light and vanished.

Roughly half an hour later, the two Immortal Boats returned one after another.

When Yu Wuxia and the others saw Fang Chen standing alone, with no trace of Xiao Chenghe, their expressions turned to one of puzzlement.

Still, they didn't press the matter. They simply assumed Xiao Chenghe had fled, probably to avoid splitting his spoils with the Xunyou Expedition Team.

He must have had a spare Immortal Boat hidden away!

"Where's Xiao Chenghe?" the Xunyou captain demanded, his tone wary as he fixed his gaze on Fang Chen.

"He left," Fang Chen answered casually. "Did you really think he'd split it with you? A fourth-transformation immortal herb... do you know what that's worth? Go ask around. Something like that could sell for at least 1,000 immortal crystals. I doubt he'll even return to report it; otherwise, he'd have to hand over seventy percent to the Enlightenment God Palace."

The members of the Xunyou team exchanged looks before breaking into curses.

As Fang Chen turned toward his Immortal Boat, the Xunyou Expedition Team captain's expression shifted. He called out sharply, "Wait."

"Xiao Chenghe could stop me because he was in the Ascension Realm," Fang Chen said, glancing back at him. "You're only a mid stage Tribulation Realm cultivator. Do you think you can stop me too?"

His eyes flicked to the man's waist, where a dull, colorless jade token hung, clearly showing his status.

The captain stiffened. He knew of Fang Chen's background but still forced himself to speak boldly. "I'm in the mid stage of the Tribulation Realm, and all my members are Tribulation Realm cultivators as well. You're only at the early stage. If we join forces, do you think we can't handle you?"

"Try it, then," Fang Chen said coldly. "There's no need for such big talk."

He didn't even bother with the captain of the Xunyou Expedition Team as he returned to the Immortal Boat.

The Xunyou captain hesitated for several breaths before deciding not to act. He could only watch as Fang Chen's Immortal Boat soared away.

"Captain, why didn't we stop him? He might still have treasures on him," one of his men said.

"What treasures?" the captain snorted. "The immortal herb has already gone to Xiao Chenghe. What else could be worth the trouble?"

"And besides, he's right. He earned a bronze jade token in the assessment, and he's at the early stage of the Tribulation Realm. If we fought him, a few of us would die for sure. For the sake of something that might not even exist, it's not worth the risk."

"So we're just letting Xiao Chenghe go?"

"Let him go. He's an Ascension Realm cultivator with his own Immortal Boat. What could we possibly do? Chase him and risk our lives? Forget it. We'll head somewhere else."

The captain let out a frustrated snort.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

***

Aboard the Immortal Boat, Yu Wuxia and the others were quiet. Meng Qingling opened her mouth, unsure how to comfort Fang Chen.

Little Immortal Honglian walked over and said softly, "It's all right. This was our first exploration. Now that we have the experience, we'll be more careful next time."

Everyone sighed inwardly.

A fourth-transformation immortal herb was gone, just like that. Had it been theirs and Xiao Chenghe snatched it, they would never have been able to reconcile with it.

Fang Chen thought for a moment. He was about to take out the Bone Birth Azure Lotus to show them. After all, once they turned it in later, they would learn it hadn't been lost anyway.

But then he noticed something strange—numerous new stars flared in the sky.

That's not right. Those aren't stars. They're Immortal Boats! There are thousands of them!

Lin Yuan rushed to the front of the vessel and peered into the distance, gasping sharply.

Everyone's expressions hardened.

Thousands of Immortal Boats, each glowing within its own protective barrier, floated like a galaxy of radiant stars across Qingming.

But these Boats weren't peacefully drifting, they were at war. They were clashing, colliding, unleashing vast techniques that ripped through space itself.

Some Immortal Boats burst into flame and disintegrated to ash within moments.

"What's happening?! Why is there suddenly such chaos? Are any of those Enlightenment God Palace vessels?" Lin Yuan muttered anxiously, his face growing pale.

If they were dragged into that maelstrom, it would be far worse than facing an Ascension Realm cultivator.

Even from this distance, they could already see several massive Boats radiating terrifying pressure. They were clearly commanded by Immortals.

"Turn around," Fang Chen ordered immediately.

They quickly piloted the Immortal Boat into a sharp reversal.

But soon, they discovered that all around them—behind, above, and below—more and more Immortal Boats were appearing.

"Don't act rashly," Fang Chen said at once. "Stay calm."

He activated a formation, projecting the emblem of the Enlightenment God Palace onto their Boat's hull.

"Enlightenment God Palace vessel? Good! Then you've been requisitioned! You're coming with us!"

A thunderous voice roared as a Black Dragon Immortal Boat swept past nearby.

Fang Chen's eyes caught sight of the figure standing proudly at its prow with his hands clasped behind his back.

He was Li Shanzi, a core disciple of the Enlightenment God Palace!