Chapter 55: Shocking Fang Han!

Fang Qingxue sat upright in the carriage at the front of the convoy, with the rest of the Fang clan following behind.

A month ago, she and Chen Zheng were separated at Forty‑Nine Island, then teamed up with the Demon Marshal to battle the Water Gu Great Heavenly Demon King.

After successfully suppressing that demon, she seized the chance to recruit a batch of disciples at sea, built the Thunder Emperor Cave on the island, and thus "established a sect".

Afterwards she broke free from the Demon Marshal who wanted to cling on, and continued her trials at sea.

Seeing no further gains, she returned to the Fang family in Dragon Abyss Province of the Great Li Dynasty.

The Fang family is her secular clan; she is the eldest daughter of Provincial Governor Fang Zeshan, the lady of the house.

Upon returning, she happened to hear from Fang Zeshan about the news that Bai Haichan possessed the Yellow Spring Emperor's supreme treasure.

Moreover, someone in the Fang family had discovered Bai Haichan's trail, right within Dragon Abyss Province.

It was even not far from the Fang residence.

Naturally, Fang Qingxue would not let Bai Haichan go lightly, so she led the Fang elite in a pursuit to the banks of the Dragon Abyss River.

Unfortunately, although Bai Haichan was gravely wounded by her Purple Lightning Yin Thunder Blade, the spell she unleashed unexpectedly triggered a fragment of power from the Jiao Fu Huangquan Diagram.

The diagram forced Bai Haichan to vanish into the raging river, making his whereabouts impossible to trace.

With no leads, Fang Qingxue had to give up.

Meanwhile, her newly founded Purple Lightning Peak was still lacking reliable people to manage affairs on the mountain.

Thus she selected several capable clan members, a group of servants and maids, and her younger sister Fang Qingwei, and led them out of the Great Li Dynasty, trekking over mountains and waters, eventually returning to the Feather Ascension Sect.

However, just as Fang Qingxue arrived beyond the Feather Ascension Mountains, she was confronted by troublemakers.

Eight Taoists wearing the Feather Ascension Sect's formal robes, arrogant in demeanor, each rode a divine celestial crane, swooping down from the vast Feather Ascension Mountains.

Swoosh swoosh swoosh…

In the blink of an eye, the eight men and eight cranes landed before the Fang convoy; as the crane wings flapped, a gale howled like an arrow, tossing the Fang followers into chaos.

Among the convoy, a snow‑white prized horse panicked and, in its frenzy, charged at one of the celestial cranes; the grey‑clad stable boy holding the white horse was a youth, unable to restrain it no matter how hard he tried.

That youth was the immortal protagonist Fang Han, then merely a horse‑keeping servant of the Fang family.

"Hey! You slave, coming to the Feather Ascension Immortal Mountain and still daring to charge recklessly, you're courting death!"

On the crane's back, a young Taoist glared, grasped the crane's talons and snatched the charging white steed, blood gushing as it fell to the ground, screaming in pain.

At the same time, the young Taoist brandished a long black‑gold whip and struck at Fang Han.

Fang Han startled; a hit from that whip would surely snap his tendons and break bones, so he curled his body, rolled on the ground, and narrowly evaded the strike.

"Dog slave, you have the nerve to dodge my whip?"

The young Taoist's eyes turned cold as he lifted the whip again, intending to strike Fang Han once more.

At that moment, Fang Qingxue's voice rang from the carriage: "Is Senior Brother Jin teaching you these welcoming disciples like this?"

The young Taoist paused, slightly bowing to the carriage: "Sister Fang, this household slave you brought does not understand our sect's rules; I'll discipline him for you."

Another Taoist on a crane laughed and added: "Indeed, Sister Fang, Senior Brother Jin personally instructed us to, when we welcome you, also explain the rules to these slaves you brought."

"My people, when will you get the chance to discipline us? It seems Senior Brother Jin is quite displeased with my promotion to the true transmission."

"Since Sister Fang refuses to let us take over, we shall take our leave."

The young Taoist wielding the long whip sensed the ill‑will in Fang Qingxue's words, immediately gave a signal to the other seven, intending to ride their cranes away.

Fang Qingxue calmly said: "You hurt my horse and think you can just walk away?"

"Just a mere mortal horse, Sister Fang, and you expect us to compensate?" The eight men and eight cranes' expressions darkened slightly.

"Anyone who dares to harm anything belonging to Fang Qingxue is challenging me; they must pay with their lives!"

The carriage curtains were drawn back, and Fang Qingxue stepped slowly out, her face cold, white robes fluttering, divine and untouchable.

Boom!

She flicked her thumb lightly; a violet lightning bolt arced across the sky, devouring heaven and earth, stirring sun and moon, a massive current piercing the void as if to slay everything.

"Ah…"

The young Taoist with the whip was struck instantly by the lightning, his wailing scream cut short, and together with his crane he turned to ash.

One man and one crane perished in an instant!

"Run…"

The remaining seven and their cranes, horrified, hurriedly rode their cranes upward.

They were followers of Senior Brother Jin, yet for injuring just one of Fang Qingxue's horses they were about to be killed, and this even before the Feather Ascension Immortal Mountain.

Too cruel.

Too unreasonable.

Truly on par with the newly promoted true transmission senior brother Chen Zheng!

"Can you get away? Remember, in your next life, keep your eyes wide open."

Fang Qingxue's tone remained indifferent; her jade finger flicked seven times, and seven bolts of electricity burst forth like dragons and snakes, sweeping the scene and striking the remaining seven men and cranes.

"Spare me…"

The seven men and seven cranes screamed in terror.

"Sister Fang, stop!"

As the seven were about to die on the spot, a long howl rang from the distant forest, followed by a green shadow darting like an arrow.

This novel you…

That green shadow was the man known as Jin Shitai, whom the gate‑keeping Taoist Zuo Lingfeng had respectfully called Senior Brother Jin at the entrance of the Azure Flame Palace, and told Zuo Lingfeng to handle Chen Zheng "as he sees fit".

Jin Shitai was still dozens of li away; before he arrived, he pressed a finger, and seven emerald‑green flames surged rapidly, colliding with the lightning Fang Qingxue had unleashed.

Emerald Flame Seven‑Skill Rays!

Boom!

The flames and lightning clashed pairwise, dissipating into nothingness.

The seven men and seven cranes were lucky to be saved.

But before they could even catch their breath, Fang Qingxue's cold voice sounded again: "Jin Shi Tai, the one I intend to kill, you cannot save."

Swish!

She flickered, stepping a mysterious stride through the void, while light flickered between her fingers, violet lightning gathering to form seven thunder blades, which she hurled at the seven men and seven cranes with a speed faster than the ear could cover.

Boom—Boom—Boom……

Jin Shi Tai could no longer intervene; the seven men and seven cranes were all struck by the thunder blades, their cries never uttered, turning mid‑air into clusters of thunder‑fire that fell to the ground, filling the air with smoke.

Eight men and eight cranes, the entire force, were annihilated.

"You!"

Jin Shi Tai finally rushed from afar, hovering in midair, glaring at Fang Qingxue.

"Jin Shi Tai, you are merely barely converting your magical power into true essence, stepping into the second tier of divine ability," Fang Qingxue said calmly. "If you are dissatisfied, you may fight on the Heaven Punishment Platform at any time."

"Heaven Punishment Platform!"

Jin Shi Tai's expression changed.

Years ago, when he and Fang Qingxue were both inner‑gate disciples, they were mutually incompatible and fought constantly.

Today, he had intended to give Fang Qingxue a stern warning and test whether the Jiao Fu Treasure Diagram lay within her, but instead he suffered a heavy loss, losing troops and generals.

He naturally wanted to regain his standing.

But the Heaven Punishment Platform is a place where true‑lineage disciples settle life and death; once one ascends the platform, only a single person can descend alive.

Moreover, judging by the magical power and momentum Fang Qingxue displayed when she struck, it is highly possible she has already surpassed him.

If he were to duel her on the Heaven Punishment Platform, would that not be courting death?

With that thought, Jin Shi Tai found himself in a dilemma.

Risking his life, he dared not.

He retreated, his spirit still unwilling.

What to do?

"Jin Shi Tai, you dare not battle Senior Sister Fang, then would you dare face me on the Heaven Punishment Platform?"

Just as Jin Shi Tai's expression wavered, a faint voice suddenly rang out.

"Who?"

Everyone looked and saw, at the far horizon, a tall youth walking out of the void.

The youth wore a blue robe that fluttered like a banner in the wind, crackling with energy; his eyes shone brilliantly, rivaling the Great Sun, his aura was icy sharp, as if it could pierce the azure sky.

"Hiss… Who is this person? So extraordinary, so domineering! Is this the immortal of the Feather Transformation Sect?"

Fang Han looked up at the towering youth as he approached step by step, his heart couldn't help but thump "thump‑thump‑thump" wildly, deeply shaken by his aura.

(End of chapter)