As Yue Long’s skin had still yet not been completely peeled off, he saw Qin Nie’s death, prompting him to let out a strange laugh.

"He’s just a Foundation Building Realm cultivator. How could he know anything? The lists are fake, just a ploy to save his life!" Yue Long sneered.

"The Radiant Sun Spirit Monarch had valued him greatly, and he’s even in charge of this scheme. His status and position are even higher than yours. How could he not know anything?" Fang Chen said casually.

The shock these words brought Yue Long momentarily numbed his pain, and he stared at Fang Chen blankly, confused.

Why does he know everything?!

Before Yue Long could ask, his skin was completely peeled off.

"Put it on," the black paper figure offered, handing the skin to the white paper figure.

The white paper figure shook its head lightly. "You wear it."

"In that case, I’ll take it," the black paper figure replied.

It immediately donned Yue Long’s skin, making its clothing even more solid and refined.

"Is this how you devour karma?" Fang Chen curiously asked.

The black and white paper figures nodded slightly, their voices becoming a thread only Fang Chen could hear, "We refine the karma within the skin through this process."

Fang Chen nodded lightly.

"Lord Fang, may I ask what the names of these two are?" Li Daoye asked, mustering his courage.

The black and white paper figures glanced at him before instantly vanishing from sight.

Fang Chen faintly smiled. "It’s just a technique of the Daoist Sect."

Li Daoye was nervous. "But I clearly saw them speak.…"

"That's how you intimidate others. Take you, for example. You were frightened," Fang Chen said, turning to leave. "Let’s go. It’s time to return to settle our scores with He Baiyan."

Li Daoye was immediately enraged and quickly followed Fang Chen. "Yes! Let’s deal with that schemer!"

At the Immortal Qin Clan, He Baiyan stood in front of Chu Lan, his demeanor submissive.

"I heard you invited Fellow Daoist Fang and Fellow Daoist Li for a meal. Why have they not returned yet?" Chu Lan asked.

He Baiyan plastered a smile. "I invited Fellow Daoist Fang out to dinner to apologize for the misunderstanding and to seek his forgiveness for my earlier mistakes. However, midway through the meal, they were taken away by someone sent by Young Master Qin Nie."

Upon hearing Qin Nie’s name, Chu Lan’s expression darkened. She scrutinized He Baiyan for several moments before speaking slowly. "Qin Nie is up to no good. And as for you… when did you start siding with Qin Nie?"

He Baiyan’s smile grew more pronounced. "I just recently allied myself with him. Since I’m no longer favored here, I had to find a new ally. Young Master Qin Nie seemed like a good choice."

Qin Xuan’s eyes blazed with anger as she glared at He Baiyan. "Uncle He, I didn’t expect you to be this kind of person, joining forces with Qin Nie. He was the one who deliberately framed my brother!"

Qin Feng stood silently, coldly observing.

"Young Lady, Young Master, Young Master Qin Nie is a good person and would never frame Young Master Qin Feng. You shouldn’t jump to conclusions and bring trouble upon yourselves," He Baiyan said. After a pause, he added, "I’ve been by the lady’s side for many years, yet she’s angry with me over a stranger with an unknown background. What am I supposed to do?"

"Enough. There’s no need to discuss this further. Go fetch those two right now. I can overlook your affront," Chu Lan said softly.

He Baiyan’s eyes showed a hint of cold sarcasm. "Lady Chu, you’re still so naive. Since Young Master Qin Nie wanted to take them away, anyone with a bit of sense would know they wouldn’t be coming back."

"Why wouldn’t we come back? We were just going out for a meal, not going to our deaths. Your words are quite baseless."

Everyone was startled as He Baiyan and Qin Xuan turned to see Fang Chen and Li Daoye standing before them, unharmed.

Chu Lan let out a sigh of relief.

Li Daoye continued, "Fellow Daoist He, isn’t this a bit unfair? Didn’t you invite us to dinner as an apology? Why did you sneak away? That meal cost me five hundred low-grade spirit stones. How do you intend to explain this?"

He’s extorting him?

Everyone shared the same thought. What kind of meal could possibly cost five hundred low-grade spirit stones? Were they popping pills or something?

He Baiyan didn’t believe what he was seeing. Suddenly, he burst into a hearty laugh and handed five hundred low-grade spirit stones to Li Daoye. "I was rude. I had some urgent matters, so please forgive me for the inconvenience."

"Madam, since Qin Nie and his lackey Yue Long are both dead, there’s no reason to let him live if he’s together with them," Fang Chen said.

Li Daoye was taken aback. "Fellow Daoist Fang!"

Shouldn’t such matters be kept secret? Why was it being openly discussed?

Chu Lan shot to her feet, staring at Fang Chen in shock.

Qin Xuan gasped, unable to believe her ears. "Qin Nie is dead?!"

Qin Feng was stunned.

He Baiyan was shocked beyond belief, unwilling to believe Fang Chen’s words. However, the fact that Fang Chen and Li Daoye were here unharmed suggested that Qin Nie’s death might be true. But… How could Yue Long, a peak Nascent Soul cultivator, have died too?

He Baiyan’s thoughts raced, and he forced a strained smile. "Fellow Daoist Fang must be joking. I have urgent matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave. I’ll invite you for a drink another time."

As he tried to leave, Chu Lan suddenly said, "Fellow Daoist Fang, do you have a way to make him stay here?"

He Baiyan’s footsteps faltered slightly. "Lady Chu, even you…!"

However, before He Baiyan could fully turn around, a flash of sword light appeared before his eyes. In the next instant, he knew nothing more.

Everyone stared in stunned silence at He Baiyan’s scattering ashes, unable to comprehend what had just happened. A Nascent Soul Realm cultivator had just died like this?

The sword light that had struck him seemed ordinary, yet it had such overwhelming power. What was even more shocking was that this sword strike had come from Fang Chen, a cultivator of the Grand Thousand Dao Sect.

It seems the third sword can reap a Nascent Soul,

Fang Chen thought.

He felt his depleted spiritual energy rapidly recovering. If he were to exhaust his lifespan to perform the fourth sword strike of the Eight Desolation Supreme Sword Scripture, he might even injure an Enlightenment Realm cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist Fang can now easily kill Nascent Soul Realm cultivators… Could the black and white paper figures really be some kind of technique?" Li Daoye marveled.

Qin Xuan had initially thought that Fang Chen’s ability to contend with nearly a hundred protectors from the Nine Yang Dao Sect was already impressive. But now, seeing the highly experienced mid-stage Nascent Soul He Baiyan die beneath Fang Chen’s sword, she struggled to imagine the true extent of his strength.

"Fellow Daoist Fang, I will handle the aftermath of Qin Nie’s death. Thank you for informing me in advance; it would have been quite chaotic if I had learned of it suddenly," Chu Lan said, clasping her hands in gratitude.

Fang Chen politely bowed. "Don’t mention it. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave."

With that, he gracefully departed.

Chu Lan opened her mouth but ultimately did not try to make him stay behind.

N

o wonder Lord Fang revealed this matter… It seems he was certain that Lady Chu would handle the aftermath,

Li Daoye realized.

Seeing Fang Chen about to leave, he quickly followed after him.