Chapter 210: Evil Being, the Ascension Immortal Society

Upon returning to Central State City, Fang Xu suddenly felt a bit dazed.

Since his last departure, over ten years have passed.

If we include the thousands of years spent in the Stone Coffin World, the Central State Imperial City has become quite unfamiliar to him.

Moreover, in the Stone Coffin World, the buried Heavenly Mystic Realm endured a terrible great war.

That war turned the entire Central State Imperial City into ruins; now, seeing the prosperous Central State City again, Fang Xu always feels somewhat unreal.

"Divine Son, it's surprising that this impoverished Three Mountains Island still has such a prosperous city."

Upon seeing the Central State Imperial City, the accompanying Shi Huan, Liang Deming, and others looked somewhat surprised.

Fang Xu gave a faint smile: "Central State City is the most prosperous city in the whole Three Mountains Island."

"This place was once the capital of the Yu State, and the previous Yu Emperor was also a figure of great strategy and martial prowess."

"It's a pity…"

From Fang Xu's current standpoint, it's really hard to judge whether the Yu Emperor Li Cangwu's decision back then was right or wrong.

To the Ascension Immortal Society, he is considered a kind of betrayal.

But from his own perspective, using the power of the Bright Soul Dao to seek a development opportunity for the Yu State and to gain a chance for himself to reach a higher martial realm is not wrong either.

After all, this is a world where the strong prey on the weak; only with great strength does one have reason.

The Ascension Immortal Society's power surpasses that of the Yu State Imperial Court, which forced Li Cangwu to choose the Bright Soul Dao and adopt some extreme measures to boost himself.

In others' eyes, this is an evil existence.

"Let's go, let's take a look."

Leading the group, Fang Xu headed straight for the imperial palace at the center of the imperial city.

His master Lu Zhiyuan inherited the Yu State's throne; theoretically he should now be in the imperial palace.

The party soon arrived before the imperial palace, where Fang Xu finally saw armored soldiers.

In terms of cultivation, these soldiers' strength is somewhat greater than when Li Cangwu ruled the Yu State.

Fang Xu clearly sensed that among the Imperial Guard's soldiers there actually existed a Martial Venerable.

One must know that in the former Yu State, a Martial Venerable could be called a regional elder ancestor; it would be absolutely impossible for him to be an ordinary soldier.

"Halt, who goes there!"

Just as they approached, a Martial Master realm Imperial Guard immediately stepped forward, spear in hand.

At Fang Xu's side, Shi Huan was about to attack, but Fang Xu stopped him.

"This person is the Yu Emperor, my master from Three Mountains Island."

"Master?"

The few people froze for a moment, then dared not move rashly.

"Please report, Fang Xu has come to pay a visit."

He and Lu Zhiyuan have a master-disciple nominal relationship; although they later fell out over some matters, they remain master and disciple.

"Fang Xu!!"

Upon hearing that name, the Imperial Guard soldier was greatly startled, gripping his spear tighter and eyeing Fang Xu's group as if facing a formidable foe.

Around them, the other Imperial Guard soldiers also heard Fang Xu announce his name and rushed over, raising their spears.

Some even more so, already panicked, ran into the imperial palace, seemingly seeking aid.

Seeing this situation, Fang Xu slightly furrowed his brows.

This situation before his eyes just feels wrong no matter how he looks at it.

He had only left Three Mountains Island over ten years ago; logically, someone among those Imperial Guards should know him.

They should also know his relationship with Lu Zhiyuan.

But now, upon hearing his name, why would there be such deep hostility?

"Divine Son…"

Liang Deming said somewhat unexpectedly: "Could something have gone wrong in between?"

Fang Xu said nothing, silently watching as a large contingent of Imperial Guards poured out from inside the imperial city.

Finally, he saw a familiar figure appear behind the Imperial Guard.

She wore a splendid red robe and held a silver spear.

"Master…"

The person was none other than Lu Qingluo, whom Fang Xu was about to greet.

But the emerging Lu Qingluo had a cold face, directly pressing her spear against Fang Xu's body.

Feeling the faint killing intent emanating from Lu Qingluo, Fang Xu knew she was neither venting anger nor joking.

She truly intended to kill him!

"Senior Martial Sister, what's happened?"

Fang Xu asked, puzzled.

Seeing the doubt on his face, Lu Qingluo's killing intent eased slightly, then she coldly questioned: "What did you say to Jiang Feng when you left back then?"

"Jiang Feng?"

Fang Xu felt a bit dazed.

His mind continuously recalled the words he had spoken to Jiang Feng when he departed years ago.

He felt he hadn't said anything at all.

But judging from the current situation, it seems something changed on Jiang Feng's side.

Thinking of Jiang Feng, Fang Xu couldn't help but recall the mysterious Dragon Clan woman by his side, Bai Shan.

Back when they joined forces with Bai Shan to destroy the Yu State, some of Bai Shan's behavior struck Fang Xu as odd, and moreover, the Long Dragon had once said that Bai Shan did not seem like a member of the Dragon Clan.

Recalling the scene where Bai Shan finally struck and killed Li Cangwu, his intuition told him that whatever was happening in the Yu State must be related to Bai Shan.

"Senior Sister, what exactly happened?"

Fang Xu looked toward Lu Qingluo again and asked.

Lu Qingluo glanced at the people behind Fang Xu, her expression complex as she lowered her spear, then waved her hand, ordering the surrounding imperial guards to retreat.

"Come with me."

Leading Fang Xu all the way into the depths of the palace, the group soon arrived before a sleeping palace.

"Father Emperor, Fang Xu has returned."

At the gate of the sleeping palace, Lu Qingluo clasped her hands and said.

A weak voice came from inside: "Let him in."

Lu Qingluo clasped her hands, then led Fang Xu into the sleeping palace.

Those accompanying Shi Huan and the others were all stopped outside the door.

They didn't mind it much.

With the strength of those surrounding imperial guards, breaking through would be effortless for them.

Moreover, given Fang Xu's strength, no one on Three Mountains Island should be able to harm him except the Venerable Extension God.

Upon entering the sleeping palace, Fang Xu immediately saw Lu Zhiyuan lying on the bed.

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan visibly looked much older.

He wore a yellow silk inner robe, and his graying hair was somewhat disheveled.

Through his soul sense, Fang Xu could feel a strange power devouring his life force inside Lu Zhiyuan's body.

"Master."

After clasping his hands in salute, Fang Xu approached Lu Zhiyuan and asked, "Master, have you been poisoned?"

Lu Zhiyuan struggled to sit up, glanced at Fang Xu, and smiled, saying, "Master, this is not poison."

"Not poison?"

Fang Xu gently grabbed his wrist, and a surge of soul power flowed into Lu Zhiyuan's body.

At this moment, he finally discovered what the dormant thing inside Lu Zhiyuan's body was!

It was a strange soul seal!

The seal was constructed from an extremely evil soul force, and overall it resembled an octopus.

The octopus's eight tentacles were embedded in Lu Zhiyuan's flesh, and through soul power they continuously sucked his life force.

Moreover, Fang Xu could faintly feel that this octopus-like soul seal might also be devouring Lu Zhiyuan's fortune!

In short, such a bizarre method was unheard of to Fang Xu.

While a strand of his soul power was probing the octopus, the octopus seemed to notice the presence of his soul power.

One of its tentacles swiftly withdrew from Lu Zhiyuan's flesh and shot toward Fang Xu's soul power like lightning!

Since this was inside Lu Zhiyuan's body, Fang Xu dared not react too violently.

Relying on the strength of his soul power, he prepared to let the octopus capture his soul power to see what tricks it had.

That tentacle instantly seized that strand of Fang Xu's soul power, and then, through the link between soul power and his true self, the long tentacle directly appeared in Fang Xu's sea of consciousness!

This scene frightened Fang Xu greatly!

Too bizarre!

How could this thing cross space-time, penetrate his flesh, and appear directly in his sea of consciousness!?

The key is, he hadn't noticed it at all.

He immediately withdrew that strand of soul power, and his soul stood on guard, watching the octopus's phantom continually appear in his sea of consciousness.

Is this thing trying to transfer from Lu Zhiyuan onto him?

The evil shadow of the octopus fully appeared in Fang Xu's sea of consciousness in the blink of an eye.

Following that came a wanton feeling of wild joy transmitted from the octopus.

This thing definitely has its own consciousness!

At this moment, Fang Xu realized that this soul-seal-like entity should be some kind of living being, absolutely not what he had previously thought.

Sensing the evil aura on the octopus soul seal, Fang Xu decided to study it thoroughly.

Afterward, his soul lit up with a bronze-colored ring.

This bronze ring was precisely the Twelve Star Map he hadn't used in a long time.

After the star-map halo appeared, a treasure vase suddenly lit up, its terrifying suction directly pulling the octopus inside.

The octopus seemingly hadn't expected Fang Xu to have such a means, violently struggling to break free from the bronze vase's control.

But all of this was in vain; its body was soon sucked into the bronze vase.

Watching the octopus struggle violently inside the bronze vase, Fang Xu didn't bother with it further and checked Lu Zhiyuan's body again.

Sure enough, he found that the octopus inside Lu Zhiyuan's body had disappeared.

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan visibly improved, his complexion becoming much rosier.

"Fang Xu, you..."

Feeling that the evil thing inside his body had vanished, Lu Zhiyuan looked at Fang Xu with some worry.

He knew that thing had definitely entered Fang Xu's body.

Because this thing originally appeared in the body of an imperial guard, and while he was helping examine that guard, he accidentally had it burrow into his own body.

"It's fine, Master."

Fang Xu smiled indifferently, then curiously asked, "During the time I was away, what happened in the Yu State?"

"Senior Sister, why..."

While speaking, Fang Xu glanced at Lu Qingluo.

At this time, Lu Qingluo's cultivation had already reached the initial Martial Venerable realm; after not seeing her for over ten years, she was even more full of charm.

Moreover, after becoming the princess of Yu State and holding a high position for a long time, she also gained an air of nobility.

"This is a long story."

"Master once told Qingluo that this matter definitely has nothing to do with you, but..."

Lu Zhiyuan gathered his thoughts, then suddenly looked at Fang Xu and said, "Do you know who the true master of this land of Yu State is nowadays?"

Fang Xu froze for a moment.

"The land of Yu State?"

"Master, aren't you the new emperor of Yu State?"

Lu Zhiyuan gave a bitter smile and shook his head: "Master is merely a puppet."

"Nowadays, Yu State, including the Dusk Cloud Grassland and Fushan State, among all places, is controlled solely by Jiang Feng."

"Furthermore, the current Jiang Feng obeys every word of a woman named Bai Shan, as if he were possessed."

Upon hearing this, Fang Xu's brows furrowed tightly!

"Sure enough, it's related to Bai Shan!"

"How could senior sister think this matter is related to me?" Fang Xu asked, puzzled.

Lu Qingluo snorted coldly: "Because there are rumors outside that you reached some kind of agreement with Jiang Feng, and that you transmitted the orders of the Ascension Immortal Society's headquarters, causing him to do this."

"Moreover, some people secretly speculate that the woman named Bai Shan is actually the mysterious president of the Ascension Immortal Society."

"President?"

Fang Xu was both amused and exasperated, wondering what all this was.

"Where are Jiang Feng and Bai Shan now?" He knew that only by meeting Jiang Feng in person could he clarify this.

"And as for Bai Shan, this time he wants to see exactly who she is."

"Huayang Mountain."

Lu Zhiyuan said with a bitter smile: "Nowadays, Huayang Mountain has become the holy mountain of this world; each year at the sacrificial rites, all forces and states across the continent must, as required, go to Huayang Mountain to pay homage."

"Besides a large amount of resources and treasures, each force must also, according to the size of its territory, contribute outstanding young men and women of exceptional talent to the holy mountain."

"If they cannot produce as required, the holy mountain will issue a subjugation order, allowing all forces to attack."

The helplessness in Lu Zhiyuan's eyes aroused a faint anger in Fang Xu's heart.

In his impression, Jiang Feng had always been a refined and courteous person, with strategy and depth.

How has he become like this now?

"Master, you should first rest and recover; I will go to Huayang Mountain to take a look."

Leaving the Imperial Palace, Fang Xu directly led Qi Shaoyu and the others toward Huayang Mountain.

"\"Divine Son, where are we going now? \" Feeling that something was off with Fang Xu's emotions, Liang Deming asked."

"\"Huayang Mountain. \" Fang Xu replied coldly, then turned to Qi Shaoyu and said, \"Seventh Elder, if members of the Ascension Immortal Society have betrayed us, may I purge the gate? \""

Qi Shaoyu was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and said, "How could we trouble the Divine Son to act?"

As the president of the Ascension Immortal Society, many of its rules were established by her; although the Immortal Island has disappeared, as long as she remains, the Ascension Immortal Society still exists.

If the Ascension Immortal Society in the Three Mountains Island region truly did something outrageous, she would not mind personally taking action to purge the gate.

While they were speaking, they had already arrived at the foot of Huayang Mountain.

Compared to the past, Huayang Mountain has already changed its appearance.

The mountain gate that once bore the three large characters of the Ascension Immortal Society has now vanished, replaced by a gate entirely carved of white jade, resembling the heavenly gate of an immortal palace.

Inscribed above the gate are two large characters—Holy Mountain.

The disciples guarding the gate outside are all experts of the Martial Venerable realm.

Standing at the mountain's base, Fang Xu did not rashly advance; he first prepared to use his soul power to observe the movements on the mountain.

But as his soul power just approached Huayang Mountain, an extremely terrifying seal suddenly erupted!

In the next instant, the entire Huayang Mountain was suddenly shrouded in a purple light barrier.

"Who dares to spy on the Holy Mountain with their soul!"

At that moment, a terrifying voice echoed from deep within Huayang Mountain, and the next instant, a figure appeared at the gate.

"Primordial Martial Realm?"

"Or late Primordial Martial Realm?"

Looking at the person who arrived, Fang Xu slightly furrowed his brow.

He did not recognize this figure that flew out from Huayang Mountain.

Moreover, in just over ten years, how could Three Mountains Island suddenly produce a stranger cultivator whose strength had reached the late Primordial Martial Realm?

"Are you the ones secretly spying on the Holy Mountain?"

Seeing Fang Xu and his companions, the burly man of late Primordial Martial Realm frowned and asked harshly.

"I am..."

Fang Xu originally did not want to fight; he intended to first enter and assess the situation, then speak after seeing Jiang Feng.

Who would have thought that the burly man would not give him any chance to speak.

"Regardless of who you are, daring to spy on the Holy Mountain with your soul is seeking death!"

Before his words even finished, he directly swung his huge fist and smashed it toward Fang Xu!

Seeing this, Qi Shaoyu could no longer bear it.

Fang Xu brought them here, so this place must certainly have been a branch of the Ascension Immortal Society.

But now, seeing that the Ascension Immortal Society has completely changed form, her anger could no longer be suppressed.

"Looking for death!"

Seeing the burly man actually attack without a word, Qi Shaoyu flashed, and in the next instant a brilliant sword light burst forth from her body!

Facing the burly man who rushed forward, the sword light directly slashed down!

Clang!

In an instant, the sword light surged to several thousand zhang!

Including the mountain gate behind the burly man, it was directly cut in half by this sword light!

The entire Huayang Mountain almost got split open by her sword! (End of chapter)