Chapter 525: Are You Talking to Me?

Although Xu Qingsong looked at Fang Chen with indifference, his mind was vigilant, waiting for any signs of movement around him.

"Will you come back to the Great Expansion Dao Gate with me, or shall I take action myself?" said Xu Qingsong, his tone calm but filled with threat.

Fang Chen remained silent, his head lowered. His long black hair cascaded over his face, concealing much of his expression.

"Fang Chen…” murmured Fairy Yu, tears welling up in her eyes and falling like pearls.

Though she didn't understand what had happened, she had a premonition that Fang Chen had employed a very strange technique. She could be sure that this technique would immensely affect Fang Chen. This could also be why he had told her to leave him and head to the Greenwood Sect no matter what happened.

Meanwhile, from the distant Void Immortal Sword Sect, shouts rang out one after another.

"Great Expansion Dao Gate, how dare they! They actually have the audacity to defy the rules we set with Heavenly King Zhen's Manor!"

"Damn it! You all can still tolerate even this? I can't! If my sword doesn't draw blood soon, I'll go berserk! Just like Junior Sister Yu, I'll develop the Inverse Immortal Demonic Embryo!"

With a roar, someone turned into a streak of sword light and flew outwards. Following his lead, many sword cultivators transformed into swords, flying toward the location the Heaven Profound Mirror showed.

Qin Hucheng didn't try to stop them. He only looked at the others in the Middle Three Realms.

"Things have come to this. We can't let outsiders bully our own people."

"Just waiting for your words."

They sneered coldly and transformed into swords together with Qin Hucheng.

At this moment, countless sword lights ascended into the sky from the Void Immortal Sword Sect.

In the Sword Ancestor's Hall, many high-level members of the Void Immortal Sword Sect convened.

Frowning slightly, one person addressed the figure at the center. "Master, are we letting these brats do as they wish?"

The figure at the center smiled and replied, "They have been holding back for quite some time. Now that someone has violated the rules, let them handle it."

He then suggested, "Everyone, it's been a long time since we visited the Great Expansion Dao Gate, hasn't it? How about accompanying me to pay them a visit? They've secluded themselves for so many years, and now they've stepped into the world without even informing us; it's quite disrespectful."

Excitement flashed in the eyes of the crowd. "You approve of this, Patriarch?"

The figure at the center nodded lightly.

Suddenly, the Sword Ancestor's Hall echoed with excited shouts and cries. Soon after, even more terrifying sword lights soared into the sky and disappeared into the horizon.

Seeing this scene, Qin Hucheng and the others were quickly astonished.

"Those auras just now...."

"It seems like all thirty-six Peak Masters have mobilized. They're heading toward... the Great Expansion Dao Gate!"

"Yes, I sensed my master's aura among them. Qin Hucheng, I think I saw your Peak Master just now."

"Now that the elders are all heading to the Great Expansion Dao Gate, we have nothing to fear. Let's go. Our destination is the Immortal Dynasty Manor!"

Qin Hucheng's lips curled slightly upwards.

***

"Has he been scared silly?"

Seeing Fang Chen remain silent, head lowered the entire time without responding to Xu Qingsong, a strange expression appeared on everyone's faces.

A Foundation Building Realm cultivator whispered, "I understand how he feels. If I were the one facing the Fusion Realm expert, I'd be happy just not to wet myself. That would already bring glory to my ancestors."

"Is this person from the Great Expansion Dao Gate really fearless? He is at the Foundation Building Realm, yet he can easily kill Immortal Seedlings and can break an Immortal Formation operated by 108 Golden Core Realm experts. An existence like that must have a powerful backing behind him," someone muttered under their breath.

However, a cultivator who had figured out the situation, much like Gai Hong, vaguely guessed the purpose of Xu Qingsong's visit. The eye that Xu Qingsong wanted to reclaim had to be extremely important to the Great Expansion Dao Gate; otherwise, they wouldn't openly tear up the agreement between the Void Immortal Sword Sect and Heavenly King Zhen's Manor.

"Do you think staying silent will do you any good?" Xu Qingsong said lightly.

Suddenly, Fang Chen began to giggle weirdly, and a strange sound emanated from his throat as if he was choking on something. At the same time, Fang Chen started to tremble lightly, his hands and legs twisting to different degrees, as if performing a bizarre dance.

Gai Hong and the others were taken aback. "There's something wrong with his aura!"

An eerie aura inexplicably emanated from Fang Chen, causing a chill to race down their spines. They had never encountered such an aura before and couldn't describe it, but they felt that the person in front of them seemed different now.

Xu Qingsong's gaze flickered, and he said coldly, "Playing tricks? Something like this might deceive weak cultivators, but it won't work on me."

As if he had hit the mark, the strange sound suddenly stopped, and Fang Chen's limbs abruptly straightened. He stood upright, his head slightly raised despite hanging low before.

His eyes were now completely black without a hint of white.

A faint smile hung on Fang Chen's face as he tilted his head and looked at Xu Qingsong. "Are you talking to me?"

Everyone's skin began to pimple with goosebumps.

Fang Chen's smile seemed sinister no matter how they looked at it.

"This isn't the lord's voice…." Fairy Yu bit her lip, staring fixedly at what was happening. "Could that sword have possessed the lord?"

It seemed like her worst fears were coming true. However, the scene before her was different from what she had heard. Fang Chen's voice had changed, his eyes had undergone some changes, but he hadn't turned into a sword. The sword in his hand was still there.

"This…." Xu Qingsong was struck with surprise, and his gaze soon turned grim. "My lord, are you a senior from the Incense Sect?"

The crowd was startled.

"Incense Sect!?"

Now that Xu Qingsong mentioned it, this did resemble the descendence of an Incense Sect's practitioner.

Although the Incense Sect was considered insignificant in the Central Continent Empire, they knew that practitioners on this path possessed formidable techniques, and some had even ascended to the Ascension Realm.

However as unconventional as the Incense Sect was, with their eccentricities and reliance on mundane incense for cultivation, they were generally looked down upon by mainstream sects. Yet, despite their disdain, many were wary of the methods Incense Sect practitioners employed.

For instance, the technique displayed before them was known in the Incense Sect as "Divine Descent."

It finally dawned on the people around that behind this Foundation Building cultivator was likely a prominent figure of the Incense Sect.

This big shot was currently performing a Divine Descent, occupying this person's physical body, which is why there was that eerie and unsettling aura just now. Even the various techniques displayed earlier might not be his own, but rather the possession of another prominent figure from the Incense Sect who had already descended divinely. Now, it's just a change of individuals.

Realizing this, many Immortal Seedlings suddenly found their complexion improving. They tried to look the best they could.

"I knew it couldn't be ordinary Foundation Building Realm techniques. It turns out to be an Incense Sect cultivator. The one who acted earlier must be another powerful figure from the Incense Sect."

"This explanation makes more sense. He is also a sword cultivator. With another Incense Sect powerhouse secretly assisting through Divine Descent, effortlessly dealing with Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators is nothing difficult."

When the whispers reached Xu Qingsong's ears, he turned grim. He stared at Fang Chen and said, "The Incense Sect has no dealings or grievances with our Great Expansion Dao Gate before, no friction. Please return the treasure of our Great Expansion Dao Gate, and I will refrain from taking action.

"Otherwise, even if you are strong, Divine Descent on a Foundation Building Realm cultivator can't allow you to fully unleash your true strength, making it impossible for you to be my match."