Immortal Among Mortals

Chapter 4: The Might of a Sage

Thud!

​Staring in disbelief at the masked man who had brought him despair, now collapsed on the ground, Fang Hanyu's eyes widened in shock.

​What incredible speed!

​What kind of movement technique was that?

​Even though Fang Hanyu was a top-tier martial artist, he hadn't been able to see Fang Wang's steps clearly from behind. The movement was too fast, and the swordplay was even faster.

​With just a single move, he had killed a top-tier martial artist.

​Fang Hanyu suddenly doubted himself. Was he simply too weak, or was Fang Wang just that strong?

​Could it be that he wasn't as good as he had always thought?

​Fang Wang turned around, wiping his blade against the masked man's body. Once the blood on the blade was cleaned off, he finally sheathed his sword.

​He looked at Fang Hanyu and said, "If you can still fight, go and kill the enemy. Aside from those top-tier martial artists, you are still very strong."

​After saying that, Fang Wang turned and left, his feet executing the Shadowless Step. He leaped over the courtyard wall and vanished into the night.

​Taking a deep breath, Fang Hanyu gripped his sword and strode off in a different direction.

*****

Chaos erupted in the Fang Residence—utter pandemonium!

​Thousands of estate servants scattered everywhere, trying to capture the mysterious figures in black. Every single one of these men in black possessed formidable martial arts skills, with the weakest among them capable of handling dozens of servants on their own. That was not even mentioning the immense threat posed by the top-tier martial artists among them.

​Boom!

​Fang Shi, Fang Wang's uncle, exchanged a heavy palm strike with one of the men in black. Both sides channeled their True Qi, causing their robes to whip about wildly as if they might tear apart at any second. The flagstones beneath their feet shattered, flowers and plants were swept away, and even ancient trees ten paces away trembled violently.

​"Fang Shi's Sun-Scorching Palms truly live up to their reputation. Only a half-step away from the top tier—if you weren't the legitimate eldest son of the Fang family, your martial achievements would be even greater. What a pity!"

​The man in black who struck Fang Shi mocked him. He, too, wore a mask—a white opera mask—with a sinister smile that made him look like a demon in the dark of night.

​At the peak of his strength, Fang Shi's palms were as hot as burning iron, responding with surging True Qi. His palms turned crimson, causing the surrounding air to distort slightly.

​"A top-tier martial artist hiding his face, lacking the courage befitting a martial arts expert. If anyone is to be pitied, it is you who are truly laughable!"

​Fang Shi let out a cold snort, exerting force through his arms, and a powerful explosion of True Qi forced both of them backward simultaneously.

​Fang Shi retreated eight steps, while his opponent only retreated five. The superior fighter was clearly visible!

​This scene made Fang Shi's heart sink even further. As the most skilled martial artist within the Fang Residence, if he could not defeat the opponent before him, the Fang Residence might genuinely face the crisis of total annihilation.

​He had previously caught sight of several figures moving with astonishing speed—individuals who were very likely top-tier martial artists as well.

​The force targeting the Fang Residence had managed to gather such a vast number of top-tier martial artists.

​Fang Shi's expression grew increasingly grim. His palm technique shifted; True Qi circulated, and intense heat radiated from his hands, standing out vividly beneath the night sky.

​The man in black facing him did not use any weapon, instead raising his right leg. The muscles throughout his entire body tensed, radiating a terrifying aura of lethal readiness.

​After a brief exchange of glances, the two charged fiercely at one another.

​Bang! Bang! Bang!

​As they fought in close quarters, Fang Shi executed his palm strikes with a powerful, dominant technique that hinted at overwhelming force with a single blow. Meanwhile, the man in black moved with nimble footwork, his legs lashing out like whips. Facing Fang Shi's onslaught, he countered every single strike with his legs—fast as the wind, fierce as thunder—churning up sand and stone in the courtyard, while random shockwaves of energy wreaked havoc everywhere.

The estate servants outside the courtyard watched in horror, desperately wanting to support Fang Shi, but finding no opening to join the fray.

​Hundreds surrounded this courtyard, lining even the walls. They drew their bows and prepared their arrows, but alas, their eyes simply could not keep up with the blinding speed of the masked men.

​Scenes like this were playing out all over the Fang Residence. Whether in courtyards, corridors, gardens, or even rooftops, figures were locked in fierce combat.

​Although there weren't many high-level martial arts experts within the Fang Residence, there were plenty of descendants and well-trained estate servants. After all, Fang Meng's reputation as a Duke forged in battle placed him among the top ten generals at the start of the Grand Qi Dynasty, holding supreme authority and even commanding armies at his peak. Even after Fang Meng handed over his military power, the spirit of strength embedded in his very bones continued to be passed down within the Fang Residence.

​Aside from Fang Shi, every other battle saw the men in black holding the upper hand. This group of assassins possessed formidable martial arts skills, and despite being outnumbered, they still handled their enemies with ruthless efficiency, with members of the Fang family falling every second.

​A terrifying shadow of slaughter hung heavily over the Fang Residence.

​Even though Fang Wang possessed the soul of a martial hero, he remained a mortal—albeit an immensely powerful one. He lacked the ability to clone himself; no matter how fast he moved, he could only subdue so many of the men in black at a time.

​Someone was watching this scene unfold from the highest building in the Fang Residence—a tower packed with all the books the family had collected. He stood atop the tower, concealed within the night.

​It was Daoist Qingyi.

​"Not bad at all in martial arts; truly considered top-tier among mortals. If I hadn't come, perhaps the Prime Minister's scheme might have failed," Daoist Qingyi said, his lips curling into a mocking smile.

​Ordinary humans who practiced martial arts remained mere mortals in the end; no matter how strong they became, they could never compare to him!

​He was on the path to becoming an Immortal.

​Daoist Qingyi raised his left hand, and a Yellow Talisman slipped out from his sleeve, hovering above his palm. The talisman burst into light, illuminating his face.

​At that moment, Daoist Qingyi's gaze locked onto a specific point. Following his line of sight, one could see a young girl in red standing atop an ancient tree, staring at him from a distance.

​Zhou Xue!

​Gazing at Daoist Qingyi, Zhou Xue's eyes were freezing cold, filled with a terrifying intent to kill.

​"It's him!"

​Over the past seven days, she had lived in a surreal haze, terrified that everything was merely a dream or an illusion. Only today, upon seeing that desperate figure from the depths of her memories, did she truly feel reborn.

​Hatred!

​An overwhelming urge to kill!

​Daoist Qingyi felt Zhou Xue's gaze and could not help but frown.

​For some reason, Zhou Xue gave him a sense of danger. His first reaction was that she might be a cultivator, but upon closer observation, she possessed neither the aura of a cultivator nor any magical artifacts.

​Daoist Qingyi leaped down immediately, soaring like a hawk across the night sky, charging straight toward Zhou Xue.

​Zhou Xue instantly sprang from the tree and vanished into the night. The vast darkness was as clear as daylight to Daoist Qingyi as he rapidly closed the distance.

​Daoist Qingyi lightly tapped the tips of his toes against the courtyard wall, as light as a swallow. While still airborne, he swung his horsetail whisk in his right hand toward Zhou Xue. Almost instantly, Zhou Xue suddenly spun around and hurled five flying stars, each tracing a different arc through the air toward Daoist Qingyi.

​Daoist Qingyi's brow twitched, the intent to kill in his eyes growing even more intense.

*****

Thud!

​A body slammed against the courtyard wall, sending debris scattering everywhere. It collapsed onto the stone path like a lump of mud, its limbs twisted in an unnatural way that was deeply unsettling.

​Fang Wang pulled back his right leg, which had been suspended in the air, and looked down at the corpse before him with an icy expression.

​Tonight was the first time he had ever killed someone, yet he felt no discomfort. He had watched many people in the Fang Residence die tragically, some of whom were his relatives. Hatred had already consumed his mind.

​He had slain thirty-seven men in black, the weakest among whom were second-rate experts, including three top-tier masters.

​His performance had been witnessed by many members of the Fang family and estate servants, but with the Fang Residence still in grave danger, no one had the time to marvel at his strength. All they could focus on was the duty of killing the enemy.

​He bounded toward the estate's main hall. Both of his parents were inside, and he had been fighting his way there, terrified that something might have happened to them.

​With his mythical martial arts strength, Fang Wang was able to slaughter every man in black blocking his path without even resorting to his True Qi. He had conserved his True Qi, ending his enemies' lives with the most ruthless efficiency.

​Not long after.

​Fang Wang reached the vicinity of the main hall. As many as five hundred estate servants surrounded the courtyard, making it impenetrable. More than a dozen corpses of the men in black already littered the ground.

​Fang Wang arrived, disheveled, yet his white garments were completely unstained by blood. The estate servants recognized him and hurriedly cleared a path.

​He proceeded into the hall and, seeing that his parents were still alive, let out a long breath of relief.

​"Wang'er, hurry over here! It's dangerous outside!"

​Catching sight of him, Fang Wang's mother, Lady Jiang, anxiously called out to him and waved her hand.

​Fang Yin exhaled in relief upon seeing that his son was unhurt. He was just about to speak when a massive, thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the west, causing everyone to snap their heads in that direction.

​Fang Wang also turned his head, and a flash of golden light reflected in his face, causing his pupils to dilate.

​If he, of all people, was this shocked, it was no wonder the others stared with their jaws slack, as if they had just seen a ghost.

​In the western direction, dazzling golden light soared upward among the buildings. Beneath it stood a figure hovering mid-air, holding that golden light with his back to the moon. With Fang Wang's extraordinary vision, he could clearly discern the man's true identity.

​It was Daoist Qingyi, standing with one foot perched atop a wooden sword. His right hand grasped a horsetail whisk, while his left hand was raised above his head, his palm supporting a yellow talisman from which continuous beams of brilliant, blinding golden light exploded.

​"What is that?"

​"How is that possible? How can someone stand in the sky?"

​"It's a ghost! A ghost has come to destroy the Fang Residence!"

​"It must be a trick; even the greatest martial arts masters can't stand in mid-air!"

​"If it's a trick, then why did so many experts attack the Fang Residence tonight?"

​The people of the Fang Residence murmured anxiously, an indescribable panic spreading among them. Even the estate servants holding weapons felt overwhelmed by fear, with some even dropping to their knees to pray.

​Fang Wang immediately strode forward in the direction of Daoist Qingyi. This action was spotted by Lady Jiang.

​"Wang'er, what are you doing?"

Lady Jiang cried out, drawing many people's attention toward Fang Wang. Without looking back, Fang Wang simply drew his sword and leaped forward, soaring like an eagle. He vaulted dozens of meters at a time and landed on the roof of a distant house, rushing ahead and leaving numerous members of the Fang family staring in wide-eyed awe.

​An astonished Fang Jin exclaimed, "Fifth Brother, Wang'er's lightness skill is incredible! Even the eldest brother can't leap that high in a single bound."

​Fang Yin sat stunned, gazing at Fang Wang's departing figure for a long time, unable to shake off his shock.

​The head of the family, Fang Meng, supported by others, stared intently at Daoist Qingyi, entirely unfayed by Fang Wang's departure. His expression turned grave for the first time as he slowly uttered a single word that only he could hear:

​"Sage!"

*****

​In the shattered courtyard, Zhou Xue, with slightly disheveled hair, looked up at Daoist Qingyi high above. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth; her left arm was clearly dislocated and hung limply by her side.

​"Little girl, such a potent poison—this is certainly not something an ordinary mortal could concoct. Which sect do you come from? Could it be from the Green Cicada Valley?" Daoist Qingyi, towering above her, looked down at Zhou Xue and asked coldly.

​Zhou Xue furrowed her brows tightly and replied coldly, "What other treasures are you hiding on your body?"

​At her words, a fierce flash flickered in Daoist Qingyi's pupils, and an overwhelming intent to kill surged up. He let out a cold snort, "Unwilling to talk, are you? Then go die!"

​He fiercely directed the yellow talisman toward Zhou Xue, and countless beams of golden light erupted, pouring down toward Zhou Xue like a torrential rain. She immediately leaped away, but the beams of golden light were even faster.

​After dodging a few times, she could feel herself reaching her physical limit.

​I didn't expect him to possess two decent magical artifacts; it seems her identity is not simple. Zhou Xue's heart sank. Must I use that move?

​Just as she was about to be struck, an arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her with immense force away from the oncoming golden rays. The beams of golden light slammed into the ground, piercing straight through walls, flagstones, and trees with terrifying sharpness.

​Zhou Xue turned her head and caught sight of Fang Wang's slightly youthful and handsome profile.