Chapter 680: The Blessing of Calamity

In the depths of the Ancient Demon Wasteland, there was a plain littered with bizarre rocks. Upon closer inspection, it became evident that these rocks were not genuine oddities but remnants of some kind of structure that had become ruins due to external interference. Some of the rocks clearly showed signs of having been carved.

Looking ahead, Fang Chen asked Cheng Yuhan and Li Chuan, "Is this the Ancient Immortal Road?"

There were many other Golden Core Realm cultivators around, people who were here for the same purpose as them. There were even more people arriving with each passing second, like a steady stream of Golden Core cultivators.

"Indeed." Li Chuan nodded softly. "This place is merely the entrance. When you truly step onto the Ancient Immortal Road, you may very well no longer be in this realm."

Cheng Yuhan smiled and added, "There are rumors that the Ancient Immortal Road exists between the mortal world and the Immortal Realm. Some even say that the Ancient Immortal Road is actually a part of the Immortal Realm. Regardless of whether one can become an Immortal Seedling, visiting the Ancient Immortal Road is always worth it after reaching the Golden Core Realm. At the very least, it's an opportunity to broaden the horizons."

Everyone nodded, smiling.

Most of them didn't expect to become Immortal Seedlings; they simply wanted to see the Ancient Immortal Road.

"Everyone, although ordinary cultivators may not dare to provoke us, we should still be wary of some desperate individuals. Whether to enter the Ancient Immortal Road is something we should consider carefully. After all, we won't be able to meet within; if any problems arise, it might be too late to react," Li Chuan said with a serious expression, particularly looking at Langya Wenqiu, Cheng Qing, Cheng Shuang, Wang Hu, and others.

They were all at the early to mid Golden Core Realm. They were all well aware of the dangers of this journey into the Ancient Immortal Road. Not only would they need to guard against the dangers within, but they would also need to keep an eye out for those with deep-seated grievances against sword cultivators.

Someone laughed. "Senior Brother Li, we aren't afriad, so you needn't worry about us. If we're afraid, then why bother cultivating the sword?"

Li Chuan could only nod helplessly. "Since that's the case, let's adjust our states and get ready to go in."

He glanced at Fang Chen and saw him sitting cross-legged on the ground with his eyes closed. This made Li Chuan think Fang Chen was adjusting his state.

Unbeknownst to him, Fang Chen's divine soul was drifting on an Immortal Boat, not far away where several figures stood. Among them was the respected master of the Azure Dao Manor, Qi Jian.

Beside him stood a young man, strikingly beautiful with pale lips and red teeth, more attractive than most women. Though his cultivation was not high, he exuded an innate demeanor that suggested superiority, subtly radiating an air of authority even in front of a Dao Union cultivator like Qi Jian.

"Ninth Prince, if we are to take action against Fang Chen, it would be best for you to delay entering the Ancient Immortal Road," Qi Jian said slowly.

Fang Chen was not surprised at all. From the beginning until now, he had already sensed Qi Jian's presence and guessed the identity of the young man.

"I have already reached the peak of the Golden Core Realm and successfully passed the first calamity. Since I am here, there is no reason to delay." The Ninth Prince chuckled lightly. "Moreover, the Ancient Immortal Road has various restrictions; any means exceeding the Golden Core Realm cannot be used within. There is no need to worry about Fang Chen's Spiritual Attachment Technique."

"There's indeed an opportunity to interact with him and see where his Spirit Attachment Technique's evil entities come from. I wonder if they're even more powerful than mine," the Ninth Prince remarked.

As he spoke, black mist coalesced before him, eventually taking the form of a blood-red paper figure. The paper figure stood respectfully in front of the Ninth Prince completely motionless, yet it exuded an aura that was subtly stronger than that of the black and white paper figures.

A hint of surprise flashed in Fang Chen's eyes, followed by a more serious expression. It seemed the rumors were true. The Ninth Prince truly had a penchant for Dao techniques, and his mastery might be on par with those Golden Core Realm Immortal Seedlings among the Three Great Dao Sects.

Qi Jian glanced at the blood paper figure and complimented, "Fang Chen isn't even qualified to carry your shoes. If I'm not mistaken, his Spiritual Attachment Technique does not come from the true inheritance of the Heavenly Cloud Emperor. At most, it can be regarded as an ancient Dao technique, which pales in comparison to the Heavenly Abhorrence Technique."

The Ninth Prince chuckled. "I've just been fortunate enough to obtain the Heavenly Abhorrence Technique from the ruins of an immortal. The Yin Soldier Technique and the Spiritual Attachment Technique may appear similar, but they are fundamentally different. Don't you think so?"

"That is indeed correct, Young Master," replied the blood-red paper figure, its face breaking into a sinister smile. "I have just been observing from the shadows. That black paper figure is merely an ordinary product of talisman spirits. It's fundamentally different from me. If you let me consume it, it would benefit my cultivation."

"Certainly," the Ninth Prince said with a smile, nodding.

Fang Chen quietly observed the blood paper figure. Its existence seemed quite similar to that of the black and white paper figures, yet the dialogue between the two made it clear that they were fundamentally different.

The Yin Soldier Technique?

Did the Ninth Prince also receive recognition from one of the Three Divine Beasts, allowing him to wield the Heavenly Abhorrence Technique?

He planned to ask the black and white paper figures later if they knew anything about the Yin Soldier Technique and whether it was part of the Heavenly Abhorrence Techniques.

At that moment, several figures broke through the air and landed in front of the Ninth Prince, bowing respectfully. Their gazes first swept over the blood paper figure, revealing a mix of emotions—envy, greed, and wariness.

"You've arrived," the Ninth Prince said with a smile.

"Ninth Prince, may I ask what you summoned us for?" Xu Qingsong said in a deep voice.

Fang Chen glanced at him, then turned his attention to the other two Daoists. Their cultivation levels were comparable to Xu Qingsong's, both being at the Fusion Realm. He remembered that when Xu Qingsong had seen figures like Gai Hong, he hadn't shown such a respectful demeanor. Despite both being sons of Immortal Kings, they displayed a certain deference toward the Ninth Prince, who was merely at the Golden Core Realm.

From the looks of it, the relationship between the Three Great Dao Sects and the Ninth Prince was extraordinary.

"Earlier, Fang Chen questioned the Great Expansion Dao Sect, resulting in the deaths of many of their Enlightenment Realm cultivators. Due to the rules of questioning the Dao, my father couldn't intervene, but... I have a method to vent our anger," the Ninth Prince said with a faint smile.

The three men were taken aback for a moment, but they exchanged looks before clasping their fist in unison. "Please, instruct us."

"In the Dao sects, there's a technique known as Blessing of Calamity. Have the three of you heard of it?"

The three men appeared puzzled.

Fang Chen was curious as well; he had never heard of such a technique.

"The Blessing of Calamity Technique has been lost for many years. I was fortunate to deduce its application from an ancient text," the Ninth Prince explained softly. "By burning a drop of one's essence blood, one can hasten a person's Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations. It's a form of bloodless curse."

"Something like that exists?!"

The three were stunned. They hailed from the Morning Star Sect, the Innate Dao Sect, and the Great Expansion Dao Gate, with access to countless Dao texts and teachings. Yet, they had never encountered a curse capable of hastening the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations. The Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations were related to the Heavenly Dao.

What kind of technique could interfere with the Heavenly Dao!?

They found it hard to imagine, their breaths gradually becoming heavier.

Their elders had subtly warned them that the Ninth Prince was very important to the Dao Sects. They had always held doubts about this claim, but now it seemed... that perhaps it was true.