Chapter 712: Analysis and Invitation to Battle

“Master wants you to take Gui You and explore that small world.”

A smile appeared on Tu Dai’Er’s face. She recalled the time Fang Qingyuan had ignored her, letting her suffer through her painful spasms alone. ‘With Master’s order in hand, Fang Qingyuan will finally be at my mercy,’ she thought.

Fang Qingyuan immediately refused upon hearing the news.

“Please relay a message to your master. The Qingyuan Sect is currently swamped with internal affairs, so it would be best to choose someone else.”

Fang Qingyuan had bluntly refused Tu Dai’Er’s request. ‘Why should I give up my peaceful life as a Sect Leader to go adventuring in some unknown small world? I’m not one of those Golden Core Cultivators running out of time, desperate to gamble on any opportunity that comes along. I’m young. It’s not worth the risk.’

A flicker of astonishment crossed Tu Dai’Er’s eyes at Fang Qingyuan’s refusal.

“This is an order from my master. How dare you refuse?”

Fang Qingyuan let out a dry laugh. He stepped down from his large chair and stood barefoot before Tu Dai’Er, looming over her.

“She is *your* master, not mine. I respect the Black Heaven Bodhisattva’s prestige, but that doesn’t mean she can force me to do something I don’t want to do.”

Overwhelmed by Fang Qingyuan’s aura, Tu Dai’Er felt a strange shift within herself. She knew she should be angry, but Fang Qingyuan’s audacity in speaking so frankly about her master sparked an indescribable feeling inside her—a feeling born from a life spent in Tu Wuzhao’s shadow.

‘This is what I want! This is the path I must pursue!’ Tu Dai’Er cheered inwardly, though she dared not let it show on her face. Her body leaned back slightly, using her rounded form to create a buffer, as if to give herself more space to bear the pressure.

“Don’t you forget who helped you with the Bear Wind matter.”

“I know. But I also know that the price has already been paid. This was a transaction, not an act of pure grace. I’m sure the cultivators of Black Wind Valley care more about tangible benefits than trying to make someone risk their life for them with just a few words.”

In its dealings with Tu Wuzhao of Black Wind Valley, the Qingyuan Sect had always been the weaker party. But regardless, the Qingyuan Sect had never been a vassal to Black Wind Valley.

Fang Qingyuan had no obligation to risk his life for Tu Wuzhao for free. When he had asked Tu Wuzhao to speak on Bear Wind’s behalf, Jinbao’s father had already paid the compensation.

Later, Fang Qingyuan obtained the *Liu Yu Celestial Demon Transformation* from Black Wind Valley, but that was in exchange for capturing Gui You.

In Fang Qingyuan’s mind, ‘You can use me, but you can’t force me. Otherwise, what was the point of all my years of struggle? I built this entire foundation, forged so many connections… if I can still be ordered around like a dog, then what the hell kind of immortality am I even cultivating?’

Faced with Fang Qingyuan’s fierce reaction, Tu Dai’Er’s sense of superiority evaporated. She didn’t actually dare to turn hostile.

She could, of course, chew Fang Qingyuan out, but she didn’t dare face the consequences. If the mission failed, Fang Qingyuan’s fate was uncertain, but hers would be truly miserable.

“Sect Leader Fang, please, don’t be so agitated. I was too presumptuous. Allow me to report this to my master, and we can discuss it again. How about that?”

Seeing Tu Dai’Er trembling slightly under his presence, Fang Qingyuan withdrew his Golden Core’s spiritual pressure at the opportune moment. In terms of his own cultivation, this Female Cultivator’s true combat power—without Tu Wuzhao’s power descending upon her—was not formidable. She couldn’t even compare to Chunyu Hua.

“Very well. Miss Dai’Er, please explain my difficulties to Elder Tu. It took a great deal of effort to bring Bear Wind into the fold, and I just want to live a few peaceful days. No matter how wonderful that small world might be, it holds no interest for me.”

With the Immortal Mansion in his possession, Fang Qingyuan naturally had no interest in some unknown small world. Besides, this kind of opportunity was bound to be contested by the various Divinity Transformation powers. The entrance to this small world might be on White Mountain, right within the Spirit Wood Alliance’s territory, but would the Spirit Wood Alliance dare to even squeak?

Gui Gu, Gui Ru, the Nangong Family, and now Tu Wuzhao on top of it all. How could Fang Qingyuan possibly dare to wade into such murky waters?

After escorting Tu Dai’Er to a cave mansion to rest, Fang Qingyuan quietly tightened his grip on the Xuanli Sword. With a sharp ring, he drew the blade from its Sword Scabbard. The Sword Intent it radiated was so palpable it felt like a physical substance.

In that instant, a tidal wave of Sword Intent flooded the great hall. An aura of bloodlust seethed and boiled, sweeping through every corner of the room in the blink of an eye.

Fang Qingyuan gripped the sword tightly, sensing the still-unyielding Sword Spirit within. He murmured:

“Xuanli, oh Xuanli… if you still refuse to recognize the situation, then I’ll have no choice but to erase you. A disobedient Sword Spirit does me more harm than good. It would just be a pity to waste your thousand years of cultivation.”

Fang Qingyuan’s words traveled along his divine sense, delivered directly to the Xuanli Sword Spirit. Having been disciplined for many days, the Sword Spirit instinctively shuddered.

But this was immediately followed by an even more ferocious tidal wave of Sword Intent, which swept out and pulverized everything in the great hall.

“Hmph. You destructive little thing!”

With a flick of his wrist, Fang Qingyuan sheathed the Xuanli Sword. In that instant, the tidal wave of Sword Intent vanished. He paced back and forth a few times, then turned to go find Bear Wind.

Bear Wind was still holding a bit of a grudge because of what had happened last time, but they were family now. He couldn’t bring himself to truly hate Fang Qingyuan over the matter.

When he arrived at Bear Wind’s Cave Mansion again, Qiqi gave him the same excuse as last time. But Fang Qingyuan had something important to discuss, so he began to coax her.