Chapter 83: Fang Qingxue Leaves the Sect! Taiyi Sect Arrives!

"Brother Chen."

Chen Zheng returned to the flying boat hovering over Forty‑nine Island, and the six women waiting there dared not meet his gaze, all with complex expressions—respect, and a hint of fear.

Obviously, Chen Zheng's earlier feat of instantly refining the Water‑poison Great Demon King had frightened them; they were still reeling.

Especially Piao Yun.

Earlier she had firmly believed that Chen Zheng could slay Immortal Fushou, attributing it surely to the Five‑Prison King Cauldron, and she had marveled at the cauldron's tremendous power.

Because of that, she always thought Chen Zheng's own strength was inferior to hers.

The other five women all called him senior brother, but she kept referring to Chen Zheng as junior brother.

But after witnessing Chen Zheng's terrifying power and the horrifying act that instantly refined a person to death, she no longer dared to be presumptuous, quickly changing to call him senior brother.

At the same time she thought to herself that the Feather Ascension Sect was indeed extraordinary; it had once produced Feng Baiyu, and now had cultivated someone like Chen Zheng.

Someone with such terrifying methods might no longer be merely a reincarnation of an ancient divine being.

But a reincarnation of a celestial from the Upper Realm!

"Brother Chen, who were those five men in black just now?"

Ye Qingqing mustered courage, wanting to ask Chen Zheng about his earlier pursuit of those five divine clan members.

The other women also looked toward Chen Zheng, their eyes full of curiosity.

Those five men in black looked nothing like cultivators from the Profound Yellow Great World, muttering about conquering the heavens and such—far too suspicious.

Chen Zheng had no intention of explaining to them.

After a moment's thought, he casually said, "They are five treasure‑delivering youths."

Without waiting for further questions, he changed the subject: "You all just came out of the Exquisite Blessing Land, weren't you here to capture the heavenly demons? There happen to be many down below."

As he spoke, he himself flew toward Forty‑nine Island.

The women, helpless, leapt out of the flying boat one after another and followed.

At this moment, a horde of demons swirled wildly over Forty‑nine Island.

Over a thousand warriors were battling heavenly demons across the island, fighting in a blood‑soaked struggle.

But the number of heavenly demons was too great; they could not be slain completely at once.

Fortunately, the island was not without capable people,

They were three men and three women, all divine‑skill cultivators, their bodies surrounded by flickering purple lightning, each bolt as thick as a finger, streaking everywhere, continuously blasting the heavenly demons.

However, the six's magical power was not high, far lower than that of Cang Baizi, only equivalent to fifty or sixty Xuanhuang fiery horses, and the purple lightning they used against the heavenly demons was also emitted via a talisman.

It was obvious that the talisman had been forged by Fang Qingxue and left for the six.

"Alas, this time it's messed up."

"We failed to guard the heavenly demons; the Water‑poison Great Demon King escaped, and we will surely be heavily punished by the young lady…"

The six sighed as they slashed the heavenly demons.

They are the Spring Thunder Envoy, Summer Thunder Envoy, Autumn Thunder Envoy, Winter Thunder Envoy, Sun Thunder Envoy, and Moon Thunder Envoy appointed by Fang Qingxue—the six great thunder‑electric envoys, tasked with guarding the seal in the Thunder Emperor Cave.

Now that the heavenly demons have broken free, they bear great responsibility.

A female envoy suddenly spotted Chen Zheng and the six women descending, pointing at the sky and exclaiming, "Someone's arrived."

"Who?"

The other five envoys, hearing this, all looked toward the firmament.

But as soon as they saw Chen Zheng and the others, they saw Piao Yun and the other women each display their divine abilities, swiftly capturing all the rampaging heavenly demons on the island and stuffing them into small bags.

The heavens and earth returned to bright clarity.

"So strong."

The six envoys felt a tightening in their hearts.

One female envoy hurriedly bowed toward Chen Zheng and the others in the sky, saying, "Esteemed seniors, this is the Thunder Emperor Cave under the command of Fang Qingxue, a true‑line disciple of the Feather Ascension Sect; she is the Mother of Lightning…"

"Enough."

Chen Zheng cut her off, stating plainly, "No need to be nervous. I am close with Fang Qingxue and am also a true‑line disciple of the Feather Ascension Sect. The Water‑poison Great Demon King you were guarding has already been slain by me; just inform Qingxue later, and you won't be punished."

"Are you also a true‑line disciple of the Feather Ascension Sect?"

The six envoys below were startled, scrutinizing Chen Zheng closely.

In the next moment, the female envoy's pupils contracted as she blurted, "Are you Young Master Chen Zheng?"

"You know me?"

Chen Zheng was about to soar into the sky aboard the flying boat, but hearing the envoy's words he turned back, looking at her.

It was normal for members of the divine clan and major factions to know him, but the Thunder Emperor Cave was only a minor force, with just six single‑tier divine‑skill envoys; information was scarce, and even a month's flight might not get them out of the Southern Sea region.

The female envoy, hesitant, gritted her teeth, took a portrait from her bosom and tossed it upward toward Chen Zheng.

At the same time she shouted, "Young Master Chen, Demon Marshal Ying Tianqing came to our Thunder Emperor Cave two days ago, gave us this portrait, and instructed that if we spot your trace on the sea, we must report it to him."

"Demon Marshal?"

Chen Zheng reached out, seized the portrait, and his eyebrows instantly lifted.

The portrait depicted a lifelike figure—it was himself.

The Demon Marshal was indeed looking for him.

Could his words at the entrance of the Profound Tortoise Pavilion last time have struck the Demon Marshal so hard that he now seeks revenge?

You dead‑licking dog!

Chen Zheng shook his head.

His hand trembled, shattering the portrait into fragments.

Then, with a thought, a Taiyi‑splitting Light Sword shot out from the chaotic void, hovering before him.

He snapped his fingers, a flame burst forth, enveloping the sword, beginning to forge‑burn it, warping its shape.

In the blink of an eye, the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword's form changed dramatically, no longer flashing with white light as before, but turning into an overall dark‑gold color.

The blade itself became one size smaller than before, yet it grew sharper, exuding a pressing killing aura.

Chen Zheng, in this move, completely removed the impurities from the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword and reinforced the sword's internal array, causing its power to increase severalfold.

Even if the sword's original owner were revived and saw this sword, they would not dare claim it as their own.

"Shhh…"

"Brother Chen, what kind of treasure‑refining technique is this?"

"This is way too fast!"

Seeing Chen Zheng instantly forge the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword into a more powerful weapon, Piao Yun, Ye Qingqing and the other women couldn't help but gasp and draw a breath of cold air.

The six Thunder and Lightning Envoys below widened their eyes so much they almost popped out.

It should be known that cultivators' forging of artifacts is a lengthy process, often taking several years.

For example, Immortal Fushou's Great Swamp Sword took a full sixty years to forge, and the golden bracelet Piao Yun wears required several decades before it succeeded.

Even if we step back ten thousand steps, a cultivator still needs two or three days to forge the lowest‑grade spirit tool.

Yet Chen Zheng, with a mere snap of his fingers, amplified a low‑grade treasure's power so that it became a mid‑grade treasure.

The speed was so extreme it could not even be described as terrifying.

Moreover, the cultivation world has a strict rule: forging artifacts above the magical instrument level requires a cultivator who has reached the Fifth Level of Divine Power, the Tianren Realm.

But Chen Zheng is only at the Third Level of Divine Power.

How could a treasure's grade be raised?

This completely overturns everyone's understanding of treasure forging.

The crowd naturally felt shocked, their scalp tingling with awe!

"Not bad."

Chen Zheng looked at the dark‑gold sword he had forged, gave a slight nod, then waved his hand; the sword fell downward into the female envoy's hand: "You have reported meritoriously; this sword is your reward."

"Let's go."

Chen Zheng called out to the still‑dazed Piao Yun and the other women, and headed toward the hovering flying boat.

"Oh…"

The women snapped out of their shock, followed him, and boarded the flying boat.

With a swoosh, the flying boat left the Forty‑Nine Islands.

"Heavens, a mid‑grade treasure!"

"Sun Thunder Envoy, you have received a tremendous fate; Young Master Chen has bestowed upon you a mid‑grade treasure…"

On the island, the five envoys came to their senses, all gazing enviously at the dark‑gold flying sword in the female envoy's hand, gulping saliva.

This novel you…

The female envoy herself was so excited that her whole body…

…

Outside the Feather Ascension Mountains.

A person's expression was tangled like a circuit diagram, pacing back and forth in the air, as if trying to enter the Feather Ascension Gate yet fearing something.

This person turned out to be the Demon Marshal Ying Tianqing.

He intended to go to Zidian Peak to find Fang Qingxue, then ask her who, in her eyes, was more important: himself or Chen Zheng.

But upon reaching here, he hesitated.

Although his cultivation was higher than Chen Zheng's, and his status was that of a primordial Great Emperor's son, his appearance…

In terms of looks, he was not far off from Chen Zheng.

It can be said that Chen Zheng and he are incomparable.

But what if…?

If Fang Qingxue were to say Chen Zheng is more important, wouldn't that mean she would be utterly defeated?

No!

He will never fail!

Ying Tianqing took several deep breaths, his expression resolute, lifted his right foot and stepped forward toward the interior of the Feather Ascension Mountains.

Only after he had taken a step, seven figures flew in from afar, all with icy faces, a fierce aura shaking the surroundings, causing countless birds and beasts in the mountains to flee instantly.

Especially the leading young man, a graceful beauty, dressed in a fiery red Dao robe, his hair also blazing red, radiating an extreme scorching aura as if he could incinerate everything in the world.

"It's him!"

When Ying Tianqing saw the boy bathed in fire, his expression hardened to the extreme, as if he had encountered a world‑shaking figure.

The red‑clad youth he recognized was none other than Chi Rongtian, the Taiyi Sect's First Deputy Patriarch, the reincarnation of the ancient fire god.

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!

The seven paid no heed to Ying Tianqing, swooping past him and straight into the Feather Ascension Mountains.

"Why are so many Ancient Giants from the Taiyi Sect coming to the Feather Ascension Gate? Even Chi Rongtian himself shows up; could they be coming to demand Chen Zheng?"

Ying Tianqing watched the seven's backs, speculating.

He also knew that the Taiyi Sect had dispatched over two hundred true‑line disciples to search the Southern Sea for Chen Zheng.

Now it seemed the Taiyi Sect had not found Chen Zheng, and thus had come to the Feather Ascension Gate to raise charges.

"Chen Zheng, get out!"

Ying Tianqing's thoughts flashed; a thunderous roar erupted from within the Feather Ascension Gate, sounding like a massive bell, shaking the mountains as if they would collapse.

Upon hearing that sound, he gleefully said, "Is it starting? Chen Zheng, I'll see how you end, and how you contend for Qingxue."

He also entered the Feather Ascension Mountains.

In the Feather Ascension Sect, from the tens of thousands of outer disciples up to the great Elder in the Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace, all were startled by that booming shout.

The whole place boiled over completely.

"Red-Melting Heaven Dao Friend, what is there to negotiate, why get angry?" the voice of the Heavenly Punishment Elder resonated from the Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace, extremely solemn.

"Negotiating? Hell no, Chen Zheng killed more than twenty true disciples of my Taiyi Sect; his crime is unforgivable, let him come out and die!" Red-Melting Heaven gave him no quarter.

For a moment, the Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace fell silent.

"If you do not hand over Chen Zheng today, then from now on my Taiyi Sect disciples will kill any of your Feather Ascension Sect disciples until none remain," Red-Melting Heaven's tone grew even colder.

The entire Feather Ascension Sect was at a loss for words.

The atmosphere between heaven and earth was suppressed to the extreme, pressing the tens of thousands of inner, outer, and true disciples to the brink of suffocation.

"Audacious."

From deep within the Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace, a cold rebuke echoed as if from the far reaches of the universe: "If you dare speak nonsense again, I will cut you down."

This time, the Taiyi Sect members fell silent.

"Red-Melting Heaven Dao Friend, come to the Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace to discuss this matter," the Heavenly Punishment Elder's voice rang out again.

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!

Red-Melting Heaven and his companions suppressed their fury, flew up to the Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace, entered the welcoming hall, and conferred with the Heavenly Punishment Elder and many other great Elders on how to deal with Chen Zheng's case.

At Righteous Qi Peak.

Fang Han looked up at the Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace in the sky and let out a long sigh: "Huh... the people of the Taiyi Sect are too powerful, they could crush me to death."

"That person is a strong one from the Longevity Secret Realm; what level are you? Naturally you cannot match his aura," a voice suddenly sounded in Fang Han's mind.

The speaker was Yan, the artifact spirit of the Jiao Fu Huangquan Diagram, who had already awakened.

"Longevity Secret Realm?"

Fang Han clicked his tongue, worried: "Then Senior Brother Chen will be in danger, won't he?"

"I think your so‑called brother is doomed!"

Yan, seeing Fang Han's tension, then coaxed: "But if you bring me a Pure Yang Treasure for me to consume, restoring my strength, I can with a single strike help your Senior Brother Chen eliminate that person."

"Fine, I'll go find a Pure Yang Treasure for you right now; you must help me save Senior Brother Chen," Fang Han took his words at face value, gritted his teeth, and headed down the mountain.

At the same time.

In the mysterious spacetime at the highest point of the Feather Ascension Heavenly Palace, misty cloud‑aura filled every corner, rolling and scattering; there was no sky above, no earth below, as if the whole world were made of clouds.

This is the sect's sacred land, the Lesser Immortal Realm!

The clouds inside were drawn by the Supreme Elder who tore open the void, pulling them from distant celestial‑realm spacetime fissures, thereby forming this Lesser Immortal Realm.

If a true disciple cultivates here, each breath of spiritual energy will strengthen their magical power.

But ordinary true disciples do not receive this privilege.

Even if one's father is Jinshi Platform, an elder of the sect, one still lacks the right to enter the Lesser Immortal Realm for practice.

And now, a figure in flowing white robes, clear as frost, proud as snow, appears within the Lesser Immortal Realm.

It is none other than Fang Qingxue.

She bears an undying electric talisman atop her head, stands upon a mass of clouds, surrounded by countless flickering electric lights, with terrifying power coalescing around her.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Fang Qingxue's expression shifted, as if she had received a message from someone.

"During my seclusion, such a great incident happened? Junior Brother Chen slaughtered over twenty true disciples of the Taiyi Sect, including a Celestial Realm Real Person! Excellent, exceedingly excellent, Junior Brother Chen truly lives up to being my man!"

"However, Red-Melting Heaven from the Taiyi Sect has arrived, along with Ancient Giants such as Song Weiyi, Zhao Xuanyi, etc., seeking Junior Brother Chen; it seems I must leave seclusion!"

Fang Qingxue's admiration on her jade face turned to chill, and the purple electric light around her surged suddenly.

Swish!

In an instant she vanished within the Lesser Immortal Realm.

(End of Chapter)