Chapter 704: With a Single Sword, A Lifetime of Regret

"What does sparring have to do with personal grudges? We sword cultivators spar with whoever we want. I simply choose you," Fang Chen said lightly.

Daoist Qing Kong immediately became enraged and retorted, "You're talking nonsense! You sword cultivators are so petty. You claim to spar, but you're just looking for an excuse to act against me because someone from my Innate Dao Sect once pursued Fairy Yu!"

After a pause, he seemed to realize his attitude was inappropriate and quickly softened his tone. "Fellow Daoist Fang, when we met in the Ancient Demon Wasteland, you questioned the Innate Dao Sect's Dao, specifically the Enlightenment Realm stage senior brothers. There's no need for you to waste your efforts on someone like me, who's only at the Golden Core Realm. How about I call a few Enlightenment Realm senior brothers for you?"

The middle-aged Daoist and the others finally understood that this person could strike fear in the hearts of those in the inner sect. He had to have a powerful background and possess extraordinary capabilities!

Seeing Qing Kong clutch at straws so desperately, Fang Chen thought for a moment before saying, "How about this? I won't bother you with a spar; instead, I'll question your Dao."

Upon hearing that Fang Chen was going to question the Dao instead of the sword, Daoist Qing Kong's face turned pale with dread.

He bitterly smiled and said to Fang Chen, "I just want to cultivate in peace. I have never held any grudges against anyone. Even though the Innate Dao Sect is no longer sealed off to the outside world, I've honestly never left the mountain; I mostly just wander around the outer sect. Please, don't make things difficult for me."

Fang Chen frowned. "What's so scary about Dao questioning? Just think carefully before responding and be honest."

"Will it really only be Dao questioning?" Daoist Qing Kong looked at Fang Chen with a hint of suspicion. Noticing that Fang Chen seemed a bit impatient, he quickly said, "Please, feel free to ask; I will answer without reservation."

"From which sect or lineage does the Dao here originate?" Fang Chen inquired.

Daoist Qing Kong's face showed despair. "You might as well kill me."

"Alright." Fang Chen nodded. Just as he was about to draw Little Sword, he saw Daoist Qing Kong immediately change his mind. Gritting his teeth, he whispered, "The Dao here originates from the Three Thousand Dao Sect!"

The middle-aged Daoist and others stared in shock. "Daoist Qing Kong?!"

What is the Three Thousand Dao Sect? Isn't all Dao lineages in the world derived from the Innate Dao Sect? Didn't the Innate Dao Sect found the Dao lineage?

Fang Chen remained silent for a few moments before gently nodding. "You answered correctly. Relay your message and call your seniors out."

"Yes," replied Daoist Qing Kong, hastily igniting a communication talisman.

Before long, the surrounding Daoists and Dao seekers once again witnessed a manifestation of divine presence. They saw figures emerging from the light gate, all bathed in white light, resembling true immortals.

"Qing Kong, what urgent matter brings you here?" one of them said indifferently.

Daoist Qing Kong hurriedly clasped his fist and bowed. "Senior brothers, Fang Chen from the Void Immortal Sword Sect has come to inquire about the Dao."

Fearing the atmosphere would turn heavy, he quickly noticed that the figures bathed in white light turned and walked away. The white light gate instantly vanished.

Daoist Qing Kong stiffly turned his neck to look at Fang Chen. "Fellow Daoist Fang, this has nothing to do with me...."

The nearby Dao seekers and the middle-aged Daoist exchanged glances, their eyes filled with newfound respect toward Fang Chen.

This is a demon; he must be a great demon, which is why these Daoists are so wary!

"I'll be waiting here. Surely your Innate Dao Sect cannot just seal the mountain and not come out again, right?" Fang Chen said with a faint smile.

Daoist Qing Kong thought for a moment and sighed lightly, "To be honest, the Void Immortal Sword Sect was the reason we sealed off the mountain last time."

Fang Chen felt a pang of sympathy. It seemed the Innate Dao Sect had suffered quite a bit at the hands of the Void Immortal Sword Sect back then.

"Qing Kong, if the higher-ups find out that you're bending the rules, you might be expelled from the Innate Dao Sect," a voice warned from behind.

The white light gate appeared again, this time revealing four figures, each exuding a presence far beyond that of the Enlightenment Realm Realm. They were all at the Soul Splitting Realm.

To everyone's astonishment, all four figures looked identical, showing no discernible differences.

One of them looked coldly at Daoist Qing Kong. Their gaze was sharp like ice blades, making Daoist Qing Kong feel as though his skin was being sliced.

"Brother Ting Bao..." Daoist Qing Kong looked quite nervous. He stammered, "I didn't say anything out of line..."

"You didn't say anything out of line? When this person asked you where the Dao here originates, how did you answer? Let me hear it again, I didn't hear you clearly the first time," another of the four said slowly, their voice and tone exactly matching that of the first.

Given their identical appearances, a Dao seeker among the crowd looked on in awe and whispered, "Is this an Immortal's clone technique?"

Even the few Qi Refining stage practitioners believed the surrounding mortals and martial artists were right.

Golden veins spread in Fang Chen's eyes. Through the Primordial Immortal Eye, he saw that the four people's qi flow was completely identical. It was clear all of them were the same person.

Fang Chen quietly observed the situation, a hint of contemplation flashing in his eyes. "I haven't seen any Fusion Realm cultivators use a technique like this. Is this a technique of the Soul Splitting Realm?"

At this moment, Daoist Qing Kong dared not speak, only managing a sheepish smile. The outrageous words he had just uttered in front of these outer disciples and Dao seekers could be brushed aside, but mentioning them in front of the inner sect brothers would likely mean he would have to pack up and leave the mountain.

Seeing that Daoist Qing Kong was silent, the four individuals turned their attention to Fang Chen, with a hint of murderous intent flickering in their eyes.

"Fang Chen, the Innate Dao Sect doesn't have the time to entertain you. Whether you're here to spar or discuss the Dao, please leave," one of them said blandly.

"And what if I don't leave?" Fang Chen replied with a faint smile.

"Not leaving?" A glint of cold mockery flashed in the eyes of all four. One of them smiled and said dismissively, "Then I won't concern myself with whether you came to inquire about the Dao or for a spar; I'll just consider you here to act wildly at my Innate Dao Sect. This place is neither the Immortal Dynasty Manor, nor the Ancient Demon Wasteland, and certainly not your Void Immortal Sword Sect. Do you really think just anyone can come here and behave wantonly?"

"So you're planning to bully the weak? A dignified practitioner at the Soul Splitting Realm intends to bully a junior?"

"Bully a junior? No, no, no. It's the junior who has shown disrespect to me first. I'm merely going to teach him a lesson. Teaching a lesson and bullying are two different things."

The four exchanged glances and smiled. However, they quickly froze up. That voice that had spoken didn't belong to Fang Chen.

They immediately turned to the source of the sound and saw a young man in purple standing quietly in the void, looking at them with an expression that was both amused and enigmatic.

Daoist Ting Bao almost immediately reacted and turned to escape into the light gate, but a sword attack came through the air, instantly extinguishing the light gate like a candle in the wind.

Not only that, but the residual power of the sword lightly grazed one of the four. That person was reduced to dust, completely annihilated by the sword light.

I wonder how much strength Brother Bai used,

Fang Chen thought to himself.

Fang Chen knew he would have died under this sword if it were directed at him. Unless he was willing to throw caution to the wind and allow the evil beings from the immortal blood to possess him, essentially killing himself, he'd have no hope of winning.

Bing Qingming had killed one of the four with a single blow. The complexion of the other three quickly paled, and they looked to have aged several years.

Fang Chen grew increasingly curious about the cultivation methods of practitioners at the Soul Splitting Realm. These clones seemed to share one lifespan.

Daoist Qing Kong shivered, staring blankly at Bai Qingming. He slowly glanced at Fang Chen. He couldn't help but curse inwardly, thinking how cunning Fang Chen was for bringing such a powerful ally to fuck with them today!

He was acutely aware of just how powerful Ting Bao was. Among the many brothers of the Innate Dao Sect, while he might not be at the very top, he certainly ranked within the top thirty. As a mid-stage Soul Splitting Realm practitioner with three clones, his cultivation was not inferior to some of the elders of the sect.

Earlier now, he had lost an avatar because of his opponent's sword wind. For a practitioner at the Soul Splitting Realm, that was tantamount to losing part of their cultivation.

This sword... had altered their destinies forever.