Chapter 514

Dusk hung vast and dim, clouds surging and sinking.

Laojun Mountain, one of the Ten Famous Daoist Mountains of the realm.

Beneath the fading glow of the setting sun, this ancient Daoist mountain stood like a divine furnace, breathing in and out the spirit qi of heaven and earth.

The Liulu Palace, built into the mountainside, featured before it a massive, weathered Eight Trigrams furnace platform, carved with the marks of time; though no flame burned within, it perpetually exhaled a faint, medicinal fragrance, as if simmering an invisible elixir.

“He’s truly vanished—alive, no trace; dead, no body.”

Beside the furnace, Fang Changle’s face was shrouded in an unyielding gloom.

After the great battle on the Yujing Riverbank, he exhausted every connection and resource, scouring both north and south of the river, yet Zhang Fan had vanished as if erased from the world—throughout the vast heavens and earth, not a single trace remained.

In desperation, he passed through Nanhé Province and came to Laojun Mountain, hoping to glean some clue from the two brothers, Qi Delong and Qi Dongqiang.

“You went to Zhenwu Mountain too!?”

Qi Delong, watching Fang Changle’s weary face, couldn’t help asking.

It was clear that since the Yujing Riverbank battle, searching for Zhang Fan had become Fang Changle’s torment.

The anguish of a close friend trapped in utter despair, while he himself was powerless—even unable to know if the man lived or died—gnawed at his heart day and night.

So much so that this master of Maoshan, a cultivator of the Great Master realm, now appeared utterly drained.

“I originally wanted to ask Li Miaoyin…” Fang Changle murmured.

That day, deep in the Ten Thousand Mountains, Zhang Fan, Fang Changle, the Qi brothers, Xia Weisheng, and Li Miaoyin had joined forces to defeat Li Changgeng’s faction, securing a decisive victory—and becoming blood-bound comrades.

Especially Li Miaoyin…

Fang Changle knew well that her bond with Zhang Fan had long transcended ordinary ties.

In this vast world, beyond Zhang Fan’s parents and his elder brother, none were closer to him than Li Miaoyin.

“She doesn’t know either? Logically, after such a massive event, she should’ve been frantic to act.”

Qi Dongqiang’s voice emerged from the same body.

Fang Changle shook his head, sighing: “Since being taken in by the Transcendent True One, she’s been in deep seclusion at the Golden Summit. The storms outside, she likely knows nothing of.”

“This…”

Hearing this, Qi Dongqiang clicked his tongue, lowering his voice.

“If she learned of Zhang Fan’s current plight, she’d likely fly into a rage and break her seclusion.”

“Remember, she’s now a disciple of the Transcendent True One—perhaps we could even get him to intervene,” Qi Delong suggested.

“That’s all speculation for later,” Fang Changle said, frowning as he stared at the churning sea of clouds, his worry deepening.

The immediate priority was determining Zhang Fan’s fate—finding out where he was. All other plans must wait.

“Old Fang, actually…”

Seeing his state, Qi Delong’s lips moved several times, his face filled with hesitation, then he finally gritted his teeth, leaned close, and whispered so low it seemed he feared disturbing the mountain’s silence.

“The other day, I heard some rumors—but I’m not certain yet.”

“What?”

Fang Changle spun around, his eyes blazing like lightning in the dark, terrifyingly bright.

“Why didn’t you say this sooner?”

“Do you think only you care about him? I’ve been running around just as hard these days—just haven’t confirmed it yet,” Qi Delong said grimly.

“You might think we’re in chaos now, but in truth, news about Old Zhang is tightly sealed—even those tasked with capturing him know little of his actual condition,” Qi Dongqiang explained.

“So gathering information takes time.”

“Where is he now?” Fang Changle pressed.

“He’s been sighted near Shanhai Pass,” Qi Delong said uncertainly.

“He went north?” Fang Changle’s gaze sharpened, deep in thought: “Looks like he’s heading beyond the pass.”

“Not confirmed,” Qi Dongqiang took over, whispering: “My brother and I have already asked an elder in our sect to investigate.”

“He holds high rank and power in Dongshan Province—he should have solid news soon.”

Fang Changle fell silent, but the tension and gloom on his face eased slightly—after all this turmoil, a glimmer of light had finally appeared.

“Three senior brothers…”

At that moment, a young Daoist approached swiftly, bowing respectfully to the three.

“A message has arrived from Uncle Jiang.”

At these words, Qi Delong perked up instantly: “Bring it here!”

He turned to Fang Changle: “That Uncle Jiang is the elder we just mentioned.”

“He’s a master who has perfected his Life Meridian cultivation, serving as Honorary Chairman of the Dao Alliance in Dongshan Province—highly influential.”

“We brothers trained on the mountain as children and had a close bond with him.”

As he spoke, Qi Delong eagerly snatched the thin fax document, waving his hand to dismiss the young Daoist.

“What century are we in? Why still use fax?” Fang Changle muttered.

“Old Fang, we must respect our elders’ habits and traditions,” Qi Delong whispered.

As he spoke, he opened the fax.

Yet the instant his eyes scanned the paper, Qi Delong’s urgency and hope froze—like ice instantly encasing him.

His pupils shrank violently, his fingers gripping the fax trembled uncontrollably; his previously composed face drained of all color, turning as white as paper.

Huh…

The light fax slipped from his numb fingers, falling onto the cold blue stone ground.

Fang Changle was stunned by his sudden, violent reaction.

“Brother…”

Qi Dongqiang’s voice echoed too, sharp with shock.

Fang Changle’s gaze hardened instantly, his sense of dread surging to its peak.

He bent down, holding his breath, and picked up the fax.

His eyes fell upon the few lines of text.

One glance—and Fang Changle was struck as by lightning, staggering violently; had he not caught himself on the furnace platform, he would have collapsed.

“Outside Qinhuang City, before Lu Zu Temple, a shocking event has occurred.”

“Thirty-seven Dao Alliance masters—all annihilated, not one survived.”

“Five Zhai Leaders—Zhao Shanhe, Qin Tian Deng, Leng Canxiang, Yuan Baitian, Feng Qinghan—confirmed dead.”

“At the scene, blood-written seven characters: Killer, San Shi Dao Ren.”

In that moment, before Liulu Palace, only the howling wind remained.

Fang Changle, Qi Delong, Qi Dongqiang stood frozen like statues, the air thick with a near-deadly silence.

The fax’s contents were simple—yet horrifying beyond measure…

Earth-shattering!

Truly earth-shattering!!!

Thirty-seven Dao Alliance masters… Five Zhai Leaders… all wiped out…

Zhai Leader realm!

These were cultivators who had already formed their Golden Core, perfected their Life Meridian—figures capable of founding their own sects anywhere; even a single death, even by natural causes, would trigger massive uproar, reported to the capital, accompanied by memorials and tributes.

Now, five died at once—an incalculable loss, especially figures like Qin Tian Deng and Leng Canxiang, titans renowned across their regions.

Dead—every single one of them?!

Yet even this was not the most shocking part of the fax.

The killer: San Shi Dao Ren.

What did this name mean? What did it represent?

Those seven characters were like a red-hot branding iron seared into the souls of the three.

“No, Old Qi—what is this intelligence? Are you certain it’s connected to Zhang Fan?”

Fang Changle’s mind exploded with a thousand thunderclaps, roaring so violently his spirit trembled.

He could scarcely comprehend the terror contained in these few lines.

He could not even link these words to Zhang Fan.

While everyone worried for him, Zhang Fan had not died—he had done something earth-shattering, something that pierced the heavens themselves!

He was declaring it to the entire world.

This was no escape—it was retaliation!

A bloody, brutal declaration in response to the Dao Alliance’s pursuit!

“Perhaps… maybe… possibly…”

Qi Delong and Qi Dongqiang spoke together, their voices trembling from the same body, uncertain.

They too were pale, their expressions grave.